Sūrat at-Tawbah
Section 7 of 20 · Surah Studies · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
The Recipients of Zakāh
A few other verses are worth pointing out before this part closes. The verse of ṣadaqah is also given here. The verse of anfāl, the distribution of the booty and the spoils of war, belonged to Sūrat al-Anfāl; there are many resemblances between the two sūrahs. Sūrat at-Tawbah now sets out who the recipients of zakāh are. Allah (swt) says in verse 60:
۞ إِنَّمَا ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتُ لِلْفُقَرَآءِ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱلْعَـٰمِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَٱلْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِى ٱلرِّقَابِ وَٱلْغَـٰرِمِينَ وَفِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۖ فَرِيضَةً مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
“The Sadaqāt (prescribed alms) are (meant) only to be given to the poor, the needy, to those employed to collect them, to those whose hearts are to be won, in the cause of the slaves and those encumbered with debt, in the way of Allah and to a wayfarer. This is an obligation prescribed by Allah. Allah is All-Knowing, Wise.” (9:60)
Many hold that all of this refers to the poor. But the poor man is first mentioned in general; then the one who has nothing whatever; then the one who has something; and then the various others engaged in different offices. And there are, of course, the ʿāmilīn, appointed by the state and sent out to collect. They need not be poor, yet they too may be paid from the zakāh — which is a further discussion.
Before that, verse 58 tells us:
وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَلْمِزُكَ فِى ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتِ فَإِنْ أُعْطُوا۟ مِنْهَا رَضُوا۟ وَإِن لَّمْ يُعْطَوْا۟ مِنْهَآ إِذَا هُمْ يَسْخَطُونَ
“And among them there are those who find fault with you in (the distribution of) Sadaqāt (alms). So, if they are given something out of it, they are quite happy, and if they are given nothing from it, they at once get annoyed.” (9:58)
Wa-minhum man yalmizuka fī al-ṣadaqāt: they censure you in the matter of ṣadaqah. Give them ṣadaqah and they are well pleased; give them none and they are much angered. There are such people today, who telephone the masjid for a collection and ask, without standing in such need. They are pleased if they are given something; and if not — if a proper scrutiny is made and they are refused — they take offence. That is not to say that they are munāfiqīn; but it is the attitude of a munāfiq.