Allah The Almighty has specified the recipients of Zakat in His noble book, where He Says (What means): "The alms are only for the poor and the needy, and those employed to collect them, and those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and for freeing slaves, and for those in debt, and for the cause of Allah, and for the traveler. A duty imposed by Allah. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise." [At-Tawbah: 60].
Imam Al-Baydawi Al-Shafiee' may Allah have mercy on him, said in his interpretation of this verse: "(The alms are for the poor and the needy) meaning the Zakat is for these specified categories and not for others... The poor is one who has neither wealth nor earnings sufficient for his needs... The needy is one who has wealth or earnings but it is not sufficient for him" [Tafsir Al-Baydawi, Vol. 2/P. 455].
Thus, Zakat must be given to those who are eligible among the categories mentioned in the noble verse, and it is not permissible to give it to others. Moreover, it is permissible to give Zakat to poor students because they are poor, not because they are students.
The conditions for giving Zakat to a poor person who is a student are as follows:
First: The student must be prevented from earning a livelihood due to their dedication to seeking knowledge, meaning that their commitment to studying is the reason for their poverty and inability to work.
Second: The student must be diligent in their studies. If they are lazy or negligent in their studies, they should not receive Zakat. Imam Al-Khatib Al-Shirbini, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "If a person is occupied with studying religious knowledge, and earning a livelihood would prevent them from continuing their studies, then they are considered poor and can take from Zakat; because acquiring such knowledge is a communal obligation (Fard Kifaya). However, if a person is unable to effectively pursue their studies, they should not be given Zakat if they are capable of earning a living" [Mughni Al-Muhtaj, Vol. 4/P.175] with slight adaptation.
Third: The knowledge being pursued by the student must fulfill the communal obligations (Fard Kifaya) of the Ummah (The collective nation of Islam) in religious sciences, as stipulated by our jurists. We believe that today’s essential worldly sciences, such as medicine, engineering, physics, and others that provide general benefit to the Ummah, are akin to religious sciences in terms of the permissibility of receiving Zakat.
Fourth: The poor student should not be someone whose maintenance is obligatory upon the one giving Zakat. No one whose maintenance is obligatory upon the giver of Zakat can receive Zakat from them. Imam Al-Khatib Al-Shirbini, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "One of the conditions for receiving Zakat is that the recipient should not be someone whose maintenance is obligatory upon the giver" [Mughni Al-Muhtaj, Vol. 4/P. 183].
It is permissible for the person who is obligated/liable to pay Zakat to appoint a trustworthy individual or a specific organization to distribute their Zakat to the eligible recipients, including poor students. They should carefully choose the most suitable candidates among the students for receiving Zakat.
In this case, it is permissible for the person paying Zakat to authorize the Zakat fund to distribute their Zakat to poor students, so that the fund can provide them with money to cover their university fees, educational expenses, or to directly pay their due installments to the university. There is no doubt that paying Zakat to this deserving group has a great reward, as it contributes to the spread of beneficial knowledge for both the country and its people.
In conclusion, it is permissible for the person giving Zakat to pay it to trusted funds, if these funds do not take any fees for distributing the Zakat but act as a volunteer in delivering it to the deserving recipients. In addition, the Zakat can be entrusted to these funds to be given to poor students, provided they are diligent in their studies. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
