Is it permissible to pay Zakat al-Fitr to relatives, for example, can a grandmother pay it to her deserving grandson or vice versa?
[AR_ID:2515]
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1 Answer
Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Khamenei (may God protect him):
It is not permissible to give Zakat to those whose maintenance is obligatory upon the giver, so paying to grandchildren does not suffice. However, if there are payments due to them that are not for their own maintenance (such as payments to a wife), it is permissible to give them in that context.
Source: Fiqh al-Wali: Rulings on Zakat al-Fitr
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sistani (may God protect him):
It is not permissible to give Zakat al-Fitr to those whose maintenance is obligatory upon the givers, such as grandchildren, even if they are lower in the lineage, as a precaution. However, it is permissible to give them from it if they are in need, which is not obligatory upon them, such as if the grandson has a wife whose maintenance is obligatory upon him, or if he has a debt that must be paid, or if he has work that must be performed under a contract that requires money. As for giving him for additional expenses beyond what is necessary, it is a strict precaution that it is not permissible if he has sufficient means to support himself.
Source: Minhaj al-Salihin, Vol. 1, Issue 1145 + Vol. 3, Issue 440.
May you be successful in all good.