Question :
Is it permissible to give Zakah to our Palestinian brothers to buy different kinds of fruit-bearing trees and finance other projects to ensure their steadfastness in the face of the Israeli occupation?
The Answer :
All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
It is permissible to give Zakah {Alms-giving} to the eligible recipients from among the Palestinian people since we are all part of the Levant. However, there are also eligible recipients in our country!.
The iftaa` Board has already issued a resolution to this end on the seventh of March 1990, which states: "The Board is of the view that it is permissible to pay Zakah to support the (Intifadah) of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories for they are defending sanctities, holy sites, honor and preventing the disbelievers from taking over the blessed land. On this basis, they are eligible recipients of Zakah under the category of "for the Cause of Allah" mentioned in the following verse: "The alms are only for the poor and the needy, and those who collect them, and those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and to free the captives and the debtors, and for the cause of Allah, and (for) the wayfarer; a duty imposed by Allah. Allah is Knower, Wise." {At-Tawbah, 60}. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.