Fatwa no. 17487 All praise be to Allah Alone, and peace and blessings be upon the Last of the Prophets.The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' has read the question submitted to His Eminence the Grand Mufty (Islamic scholar qualified to issue legal opinions) from His Eminence member of the Committee for the Friends of the Sick in Al-Jawf, which has been referred to the committee from the Secretariat General of the Council of Senior Scholars no. 4213, dated 17/10/1415 A.H. His Eminence asks:The Committee for the Friends of the Sick in the area of Al-Jawf extends to Your Eminence best regards and appreciation. We hope you will help us by issuing a Fatwa on the question of spending Zakah (obligatory charity) money received by the committee. We would like to inform Your Eminence that the activity of the Committee for the Friends of the Sick in Al-Jawf is as follows:1- The committee helps the poor brothers and the underprivileged from (Part No. 8; Page No. 443) the sick people of the area by fulfilling some of their medical needs, such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, eyeglasses, oxygen cylinders and other medical equipment which they cannot afford.2- Buys nappies for the elderly and nappies and clothes for anonymous children.3- Secures clothes and other needs for the deserted patients in psychiatric hospital.4- Provides medical supplies and equipment for hospitals to help raise the health standards offered to the sick people in the area.5- Builds wards in hospitals to accommodate more patients from the area and upgrades the existent hospitals with office and medical furnishings.6- Conducts campaigns for raising health awareness and blood donations.7- Visits hospital inpatients and offers them gifts on occasions and feasts.After what we have mentioned, we ask Your Eminence:1- Can the salaries of the secretary and employees of the committee be paid out of the Zakah money, bearing in mind that the secretary does several activities including the collection of funds and letters and the organization of the committee work? (Part No. 8; Page No. 444) 2- Can we spend part of Zakah money on the needs of work including the costs of printing, paper and posting letters which are sent to individuals and foundations to raise donations as well as the costs of the car used for the work?3- Is it permissible to spend part of the Zakah money on buying clothes for poor patients, particularly in the psychiatric hospital as well as buying nappies for the elderly and the anonymous children and medical equipment for the poor patients such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, eyeglasses, oxygen cylinders and other medical devices and equipment to measure blood sugar content and so on?4- Can we spend part of the Zakah money on buying medical equipment for hospitals and building new wards to accommodate more patients?5- Is it permissible to spend part of the Zakah money on conducting campaigns for health awareness and calling for blood donation?6- Is it permissible to spend part of the Zakah money on buying gifts for hospital patients on occasions and feasts to raise their morale which helps speed up their recovery?After what has been mentioned, we hope Your Eminence will direct us to (Part No. 8; Page No. 445) what pleases Allah and how this Zakah can be spent?

After studying the question, the committee answered as follows:It is obligatory to spend the Zakah money you receive on its legal categories mentioned in the Ayah (Qur'anic verse): As-Sadaqât (here it means Zakât) are only for the Fuqarâ’ (poor), and the Masâkin (needy) and those employed to collect (the funds), and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islâm), and to free the captives, and for those in debt, and for Allâh’s Cause, and for the wayfarer (a traveller who is cut off from everything); a duty imposed by Allâh. And Allâh is All-Knower, All-Wise. The Zakah money has to be distributed the way it was given to you in cash and its recipients can buy what they need or authorize you to do this. It is not permissible for you to buy anything for patients or to spend out of it on your employees, or the projects of the construction committee and its medical equipment or the awareness campaigns, advertisements and gifts.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.