Can I give my zakat abroad or through a charity? Yes. In the Hanafi madhab zakat sent to poor relatives or to people in greater need in another country is valid and not disliked, and the other schools allow it for greater need. A charity acts as your agent: your zakat is paid when it reaches an eligible person, so choose one that keeps zakat in a separate fund, gives it to individuals, and tells you how much goes on costs.
Most people do not hand their zakat to the poor themselves. They send it to relatives in Pakistan, India or Bangladesh, give it to a mosque or a large charity, or tap a button in an appeal. Each route works, but each has rules that decide whether your zakat is really paid. This guide covers them, with the checks to make before you give.
Sending zakat to another country
Classical scholars discussed moving zakat away from where the wealth is (naql al-zakat). In short: the Hanafi school allows it, without dislike, for poor relatives and people in greater need (al-Hidayah; Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar); the Maliki school allows it where the need is greater; the relied-upon Shafi’i and Hanbali positions prefer local recipients, though zakat sent elsewhere still counts in the Hanbali school and many contemporary scholars of both schools allow it for greater need; scholars followed by Ahl-e-Hadith readers allow it for relatives or need. Followers of Ayatollah Sistani may transfer zakat too, but they bear the risk if it is lost on the way while deserving people were available locally. The madhab-by-madhab detail is on zakat for overseas Pakistanis.
Which currency and which rate?
- Work out your zakat in one currency on your zakat date (see your zakat date).
- When you send it, the recipient must receive the full amount you owe. Transfer fees are your cost, not part of the zakat: if the bank or app keeps £5, add £5.
- If you send it in another currency, convert at the rate on the day you pay, so the recipient gets the value of what you owed.
Paying relatives back home
Poor brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, nephews and in-laws may receive your zakat, with double reward. Your parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and spouse cannot. Make the intention of zakat when you send it or when you set it aside; the regular money you send home for household costs is not zakat. You do not have to tell the relative it is zakat. See who can receive zakat.
Giving through a charity or mosque
A charity that collects zakat acts as your agent (wakil). In the Hanafi madhab and most others, your zakat is paid when the agent hands it to an eligible person, not when you donate. That gives you four things to check:
- A separate zakat fund. Zakat must not be mixed with general donations and spent on anything the charity likes.
- Ownership by a person (tamlik). The Hanafi school, followed by most Pakistanis and Indians, requires zakat to become the property of an eligible person. Building a mosque, school or hospital with it, or paying staff salaries, does not count. Food parcels, cash grants, paying a poor person’s debt or medical bill on their behalf, and scholarships do.
- Costs. The Quran gives a share to “those employed to collect it” (9:60). Many classical scholars limit this to collectors appointed by a Muslim state; some contemporary scholars allow charities to take a share for collection costs. If you want all of your zakat to reach the poor, choose a charity with a “100% zakat policy” that pays its costs from other donations, or ask what percentage it keeps.
- Timing. Zakat should not be delayed once due. A charity that holds zakat for many months before distributing it delays your payment; ask when it is distributed.
Can zakat go to non-Muslims?
The four Sunni schools and the Ja’fari school agree that zakat for the poor and needy goes to poor Muslims; the Prophet ﷺ told Mu’adh it is “taken from their rich and given to their poor” (Bukhari 1395). Some scholars allow the category of “those whose hearts are to be reconciled” to include non-Muslims, but the Hanafi school considers that share no longer in use. If a charity helps everyone regardless of faith, give your zakat only if it confirms that zakat goes to eligible Muslims, and help everyone else with your sadaqah, which has no such limit. Ayatollah Sistani adds that zakat for the poor should go to a Shia Ithna Ashari believer.
Sayyids and Banu Hashim
In the Sunni schools, descendants of the Prophet’s family (Banu Hashim, commonly called Sayyids in South Asia) may not receive zakat; help them from sadaqah. In the Ja’fari school a non-Sayyid’s zakat may not go to a Sayyid, who receives sahm-e-sadat from khums instead.
How to check a charity, by country
| Country | Where to check |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | The Charity Commission register (England and Wales), OSCR (Scotland) or the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland: registration number, latest accounts and whether they were filed on time. |
| United States | The IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for 501(c)(3) status, and the charity’s Form 990. |
| Canada | The CRA list of charities and its annual T3010 return. |
| Pakistan | Registration with the SECP (section 42 companies) or a provincial charity commission, and, for many large charities, certification by the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy. Ask for audited accounts. |
Then ask the charity: Is zakat kept in a separate fund? Who decides eligibility, and is there a scholar or Shariah board? What share goes on costs? Where did last year’s zakat go? A good zakat charity answers these in writing.
Warning signs
- Appeals forwarded on WhatsApp or social media with only a personal bank account or a mobile wallet number.
- No registration number, no accounts, or a name that imitates a well-known charity.
- Pressure to give “today only”, or a promise that a donation will bring a particular reward or cure.
- Zakat spent on buildings, events or staff with no separate zakat fund.
Giving directly
Giving to people you know is in need, such as a relative, a neighbour, a widow in your area or a student, is often the surest way: you know they are eligible and that the full amount reached them. You may give someone more than the nisab in one go in the view of most scholars, although the Hanafi school dislikes making one poor person rich from zakat without a reason such as debt.
To work out how much to give, use the zakat calculator; for who may receive it, see the 8 categories. This guide is general information, not a fatwa.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send my zakat to Pakistan from the UK?
Yes. In the Hanafi madhab zakat sent to poor relatives or people in greater need in another country is valid and not disliked; the other schools allow it for greater need. Add the transfer fee yourself so the full amount arrives.
Can a charity take admin fees from zakat?
Scholars differ. Many limit the collectors' share to collectors appointed by a Muslim state; some allow charities to use part for costs. Choose a charity with a 100% zakat policy if you want all of it to reach the poor.
Can zakat be given to non-Muslims?
Zakat for the poor and needy goes to poor Muslims in all the major schools. Help others with sadaqah.
Kya zakat bahar mulk bhej sakte hain?
Haan. Hanafi maslak mein ghareeb rishtedaron ya zyada zaroorat mand logon ko doosre mulk mein zakat bhejna jaiz hai. Bhejne ki fees apni taraf se den taake poori zakat pohnche.
Is zakat paid when I donate to a charity or when it reaches the poor?
The charity is your agent, so your zakat is paid when it reaches an eligible person. Choose a charity that distributes promptly and keeps zakat separate.