Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Shari Hilah for Zakah, the Definitions of Faqir and Miskin, and Funeral Ṣalah

Cow's Meat as a Gift

The mother of the believers, Ḥaḍrat Sayyidatunā 'Āishaĥ Ṣiddīqaĥ رَضِیَ اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا reports that once some cow-meat was presented in the court of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Someone told the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم that the meat was donated to Ḥaḍrat Sayyidatunā Barīraĥ رَضِیَ اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا, as Ṣadaqaĥ (charity). Sultan of Madīnaĥ صَلَّى اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, "هُوَ لَهَا صَدَقَةٌ وَلَنَا هَدِيَّةٌ (i.e. it was Ṣadaqaĥ for Barīraĥ but a gift for us)."

(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, pp. 541, Ḥadīš 1075)

Shar'ī Ḥīlaĥ for Zakāĥ

The foregoing Ḥadīš clearly indicates that the meat donated as Ṣadaqaĥ to Ḥaḍrat Sayyidatunā Barīraĥ رَضِیَ اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا who was deserving of Ṣadaqaĥ was doubtlessly Ṣadaqaĥ for her. However, when the same meat, after being given in her custody, was presented in the court of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم its ruling changed altogether and it was no longer Ṣadaqaĥ.

Similarly, a deserving person (deserving of Zakāĥ), after taking Zakāĥ in his custody, may gift it to anybody or he may donate it for Masjid etc. as this donation by that deserving person is a sort of gift rather than Zakāĥ. The reverent scholars رَحِمَهُمُ اللّٰہ have described a Shar'ī Ḥīlaĥ for Zakāĥ that is as follows:

The money of Zakāĥ cannot be used to pay for the burial or shrouding expenses of a deceased or for the construction of Masjid as Tamlīk-e-Faqīr (i.e. making the Faqīr owner of Zakāĥ donation) is missing here. However, if the money of Zakāĥ is to be spent on such matters, donate Zakāĥ to some Faqīr so that he becomes its owner and now that Faqīr may spend the money (in construction of Masjid etc.); both will gain Šawāb."

(Bahār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 890, vol. 1)

100 People will be Rewarded Equally

Dear Islamic brothers! Did you see? The money of Zakāĥ may be used for burial expenses or in the construction of Masjid after performing Shar'ī Ḥīlaĥ as the money is Zakāĥ for Faqīr but once the Faqīr gets its possession, he becomes its owner and he may spend it as he likes. By virtue of Shar'ī Ḥīlaĥ, Zakāĥ of the donor got paid and at the same time, the Faqīr became entitled for Šawāb for spending his money in the construction of Masjid. The ruling for Shar'ī Ḥīlaĥ may be explained to the Faqīr as well. If possible, the donation should be circulated in hands of more people while performing Shar'ī Ḥīlaĥ so that more people could gain Šawāb. For example, suppose 12 hundred thousand rupees of Zakāĥ are to be donated to a Faqīr for Shar'ī Ḥīlaĥ. The Faqīr should take this amount in his possession and then gift it to other Islamic brother. That Islamic brother, after having the possession of the amount, should gift it to another one. In this way, each involved brother should handover possession of that amount to the other with intention of gaining Šawāb and the last one, then, should spend it for construction of Masjid or in any other expenditure for which Shar'ī Ḥīlaĥ has been done; إِنْ شَاۤءَاللّٰہ عَزَّوَجَلَّ everyone will get Šawāb of spending 12 hundred thousand rupees as Ṣadaqaĥ.

Ḥaḍrat Sayyidunā Abū Ḥuraīraĥ رَضِیَ اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَنْه reports that the beloved Rasūl of Allāĥ صَلَّى اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, "If Ṣadaqaĥ is circulated through hundreds of hands, then each one of them will earn the Šawāb equal to that of the donor and there will be no deduction in his Šawāb."

(Tarīkh Baghdad, vol. 7, pp. 135, Ḥadīš 356)

Definition of "Faqīr"

A Faqīr is the one who (a) possesses some assets but they are less than the worth of Niṣāb (b) or the one who possesses assets valued up to the amount of Niṣāb, but the same are engaged in his basic necessities (i.e. by means of his assets, his basic needs are being fulfilled) e.g. a house for living, household items, animals (or scooter or car) for travelling, tools for a craftsman, Islamic books for the one interested in religious study but not more than the requirement, (c) Similarly, if someone is in debt such that on deduction of debt, the remaining assets would be less than the worth of Niṣāb; he is also Faqīr, no matter, he possesses multiples of Niṣāb.

(Rad-dul-Muḥtār, pp. 333, vol. 3 etc.)

Definition of "Miskīn"

A Miskīn is the one who does not possess anything and he has to beg others for food or clothes for covering the body. Begging is Ḥalāl (allowed) for him. It is Ḥarām for a Faqīr (i.e. the one who possesses meal for eating of one time and has clothes for wearing) to beg without need and compulsion.

(Fatāwa-e-'Ālamgīrī, pp. 187-188, vol. 1, Bahār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 924, vol. 1)

Dear Islamic brothers! It became obvious that the beggars who beg as a profession without need and compulsion despite being capable enough to earn livelihood are sinners; further, those who donate such people despite being aware of their condition, their Zakāĥ and charity go to waste and they become sinners as well.

صَلُّوْا عَلَى الْحَبِيْبِ ۞ صَلَّى اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلٰی مُحَمَّد

Method of Funeral Salah*

No matter how hard Satan tries to prevent you, please read the entire booklet, إِنْ شَاۤءَاللّٰہ عَزَّوَجَلَّ you will experience its benefits by yourself.

Excellence of Ṣalāt-'Alan-Nabī

The Prophet of creation, the Peace of our heart and mind, the most Generous and Kind صَلَّى اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم states, 'The one who recites Ṣalāt once upon me, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ writes one Qīrāṭ of recompense for him, and one Qīrāṭ is equivalent to the mount Uḥud.'

(Muṣannaf 'Abdur Razzāq, vol. 1, pp. 39, Ḥadīš 153)

صَلُّوْا عَلَى الْحَبِيْبِ ۞ صَلَّى اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلٰی مُحَمَّد

Virtue of participating in the funeral Ṣalāĥ of a Walī

A person participated in the funeral Ṣalāĥ of Sayyidunā Sarī Saqatī عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰہِ القَوِيّ. He saw Sayyidunā Sarī Saqatī عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰہِ القَوِيّ in his dream at night and asked, 'How did Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ treat you?' He عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰہِ القَوِيّ replied, 'Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has forgiven me as well as all those who participated in my funeral Ṣalāĥ.' The person said, 'Yā Sayyidī! I also participated in your funeral Ṣalāĥ.' Listening to this, Sayyidunā Sarī Saqatī عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰہِ القَوِيّ took out a list and checked for his name therein but that person's name was not present in the list; when checked thoroughly, he saw that the name of that person was written in the margin.

*Ḥanafi

 (Tārīkh Dimashq li Ibn 'Asākir, vol. 20, pp. 198)

May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ bless them and forgive us without any accountability for their sake!

اٰمِيْن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الْاَمِيْن صَلَّى اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

صَلُّوْا عَلَى الْحَبِيْبِ ۞ صَلَّى اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلٰی مُحَمَّد

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