Are you allowed to give zakat to your parents or wife?

Question

Is it halal or haram to give zakat to your parents (mom and dad) or wife?

Answer 1

Allah says in Quran [9:60] that there are eight categories of people who have the right to receive Zakat:

• People who are in complete poverty and have nothing.
• People who have some wealth, but not enough to meet their basic needs.
• The people who collect Zakat to distribute to the poor and needy.
• People who are sympathetic towards Islam or wish to enter to Islam, and are needy.
• Zakat may be used to free a person from slavery.
• Zakat can be given to those who are in debt and unable to pay off their debt.
• The people who work in God’s way and strive to give Dawah.
• Travellers and/or wayfarers who are needy.

And Zakat to parents cannot be given,

The giver cannot materially benefit from giving their zakat. As such, one cannot give zakat to one’s parents, children, or spouse, because benefits between these people are shared. [Ibn Abidin and Haskafi, Radd al-Muhtar `ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar 2.2-4; Ibn al-Humam and Marghinani, Fath al-Qadir Sharh al-Hidaya ]

source: http://spa.qibla.com/issue_view.asp?id=3526

Answer 2

Can You Give Zakat to Your Mother-in-Law? This is a question that has been asked quite a few times and a lot of people are confused about whether they can give money to their mother in law or not? What if the mother in Law is divorced and is living on support, can Zakat be given to her? It is permissible in Islam to give your Zakat to your mother in law if she is needy. As a matter of fact, it is far greater and is more rewarding to give your Zakat to someone close as compared to giving it to some stranger. The reason why this is the case is because giving Zakat to your close ones beams that it will strengthen the family bond and bring you closer together. You are only not permitted to give your Zakat to your wide, parents, grandparents, children and your grand children because you benefit from this Zakat in one way or another.