Question Summary:
can i pay for someone’s funeral out of zakat money i intended to give them after eid. ?

Question Detail:

can i pay for someone's funeral out of zakat money i intended to give them after eid. He passed away during the time i intended to pay him and the date i was going to pay him. He is abroad and his wife/daughter can not pay the large amount. He was entitled to receive zakat when he was alive.

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh
It will not be permissible to give one’s zakāh to a deceased person. Making a living person the owner of the wealth and giving over to his or her possession is a condition of zakāh. A permissible alternative would be to discharge your zakāh to one of the poor and needy family members of the deceased who will then use that money for the funeral expenses.
إذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يُكَفِّنَ مَيِّتًا عَنْ زَكَاةِ مَالِهِ لَا يَجُوزُ ( وَالْحِيلَةُ فِيهِ أَنْ يَتَصَدَّقَ بِهَا عَلَى فَقِيرٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَيِّتِ ) ، ثُمَّ هُوَ يُكَفِّنُ بِهِ الْمَيِّتَ فَيَكُونُ لَهُ ثَوَابُ الصَّدَقَةِ وَلِأَهْلِ الْمَيِّتِ ثَوَابُ التَّكْفِينِ (الفتاوى الهندية ج 6 ص 392 ، مكتبة رشيدية)
 
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Yusuf bin Yaqub,
Student Darul Iftaa
Concurred by:
Ml. Ehzaz Ajmeri,
Student Darul Iftaa
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah