Question Summary:
Zakat dues pending for 10 years

Question Detail:

 
I have some zakat dues(around 2-3 lacks of Indian rupees) pending for the last 10years. I could not find suitable people to deliver to, of course I could have put more efforts to find the suitable candidates, May Allah forgive me for this blunder.But I keep on seperating the zakat amount every year and I donot touch that amount for my needs. I kept on searching for suitable people but I could not  find to deliver the entire amount. I could deliver only some part of the amount every year. Now I find one person who is in huge debts.
Can I give the entire amount to him? The zakat nisab in India is around Rs.30,000 as per silver limit.My doubt is, It was my responsibility to deliver the zakat amount during the previous years. For example, If I take 10 years back case, Had I delivered the amount during that year,the amount would have reached to a person(say person named X) who was in a position to accept zakat during that year.Because of my fault that amount is now going to the new person(say person named Y,who is in debts now) instead of person X. This new person was not in a position to recive zakat 10years back. The person X may be in a position to accept zakat now as well, but I need to search.
Can I give the entire amount to the person(named Y) who is in debts now? Or do I have to search for a person X for each previous year and deliver to him?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
You are correct when you state that you made a "blunder" in not discharging your Zakat for the previous year(s). Make Tawbah and resolve not to do the same in the future.
You do not have to look for the past legitimate recipients of Zakat to discharge your Zakat of the previous years. It will suffice to discharge your Zakat of the past years to a present poor person who is eligible for Zakat.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Hisham Dawood
Student Darul Iftaa
Chicago, U.S.A.
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net