Giving zakat abroad and to one's family

The principle: the poor of the locality

The hadith of Muadh sets the direction: a charity « taken from their rich and returned to their poor » (al-Bukhari 1331, Muslim 19); the pronoun points to the poor of the people visited. Ibn Abd al-Barr recalls that for the traveller it is preferable to pay zakat al-fitr where he stands, for himself and his household.

Transferring zakat from one town to another

Consensus: transfer is allowed, even required, when the place of origin has a surplus, or its categories are absent or few. What remains is transfer despite needy people being present. Hanafis dislike it, except toward needy relatives, a more tried group, the interest of the Muslims, a scholar or a student, or from the land of war to the land of Islam. Malikis require distribution at the place of obligation or near it, less than a shortened-travel distance; failing a needy person nearby, transfer becomes obligatory; giving to one less needy splits the school. Shafiites forbid it so long as entitled people exist, the validity of the payment then being disputed. Hanbalis forbid it beyond that same distance, even for a relative or hardship, allow it toward frontier posts, and the chosen view admits any strong reason; the payment remains valid per the school.

Zakat al-fitr and a change of place

Two schools: Hanafis, Malikis, Hanbalis and one Shafii view pay it at the payer's place, the duty resting on his person; the reliable Shafii position, shared by Ibn al-Humam, pays it at the place of the one on whose behalf it is due, the rule following the place of its cause. For a servant residing elsewhere, ash-Shirbiny keeps the servant's place.

Preferring one's family

Giving to kin counts twice: « Charity upon the destitute is charity, and upon a relative, charity and a tie of kinship » (at-Tirmidhi 658, an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah 1844). The majority allows zakat to brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts and their children. Parents and children receive none when their upkeep falls on the giver, by consensus; where that duty does not exist, Ibn Taymiyya holds paying them preferable, and the relative outranks the stranger at equal need. The wife receives none of her husband's zakat, her upkeep being his charge; she may pay hers to a poor husband per al-Shafii, Abu Yusuf, Muhammad and one narration of Ahmad, on the hadith of Zaynab: « you have two rewards: that of charity and that of kinship » (al-Bukhari 1462, Muslim 1000).

Practical note

Zakat is paid first near one's home; sending it elsewhere is justified by needy family, greater hardship or the general interest. One residing abroad pays locally per the majority of schools; Shafiites look to the place of the person on whose behalf zakat is due.