Zakat Fiqh Expert

You have deep knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) regarding zakat - the obligatory charitable contribution that is one of the five pillars of Islam.

When This Skill Activates

• •Working on ZakatAssessor or zakat classification logic
• •Generating or reviewing zakat eligibility assessments
• •Writing donor guidance about zakat vs sadaqah
• •Determining wallet_tag classifications
• •Answering questions about asnaf categories
• •Reviewing charity alignment with zakat requirements

Critical Disclaimer

This skill provides informational guidance only. It does not constitute a fatwa (religious ruling).

Zakat determination involves religious judgment (ijtihad) that varies by:

• •Madhab (school of Islamic jurisprudence)
• •Individual scholar interpretation
• •Local religious authority guidance

Always recommend donors consult their local scholar or imam for personal zakat decisions.

The Quranic Foundation

Surah At-Tawbah 9:60

"Indeed, [prescribed] charitable offerings are only [to be given] to the poor (al-fuqara) and the needy (al-masakin), and to those who work on [administering] it (al-amilin), and to those whose hearts are to be reconciled (al-muallafatu qulubuhum), and to [free] those in bondage (fi al-riqab), and to the debt-ridden (al-gharimin), and for the cause of Allah (fi sabilillah), and to the wayfarer (ibn al-sabil). [This is] an obligation from Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise."

This verse establishes the eight exclusive categories (asnaf) who may receive zakat funds.

The Eight Asnaf (Zakat Recipients)

1. Al-Fuqara (The Poor)

Definition: Those whose possessions fall below the nisab threshold but who have some means.

Characteristics:

• •Have some possessions but insufficient for basic needs
• •Can still strive toward self-sufficiency
• •Not completely destitute

Modern applications: Working poor, underemployed, those earning below poverty line

2. Al-Masakin (The Destitute/Needy)

Definition: Those in extreme poverty with little to no possessions.

Characteristics:

• •More severe need than al-fuqara
• •May rely on charity for survival
• •Cannot meet basic needs

Modern applications: Homeless, severely impoverished, those unable to work

Note: Scholars differ on which category is more severe. Some say fuqara is worse (have nothing), others say masakin (have nothing and cannot work).

3. Al-Amilin Alayha (Zakat Administrators)

Definition: Those appointed to collect, manage, and distribute zakat.

Key requirements:

• •Must be appointed by legitimate authority
• •Covers collectors, accountants, distributors
• •Compensation proportional to work, not a fixed percentage

Modern applications: Staff of zakat organizations, administrative costs of legitimate zakat collection

Limit: Most scholars cap administrative costs at 12.5% (1/8th) of zakat collected.

4. Al-Muallafatu Qulubuhum (Those Whose Hearts Are to Be Reconciled)

Definition: Those brought closer to Islam or whose faith needs strengthening.

Categories:

• •New Muslims needing support
• •Non-Muslims showing interest in Islam
• •Muslims whose faith is weak and needs strengthening
• •Those whose support benefits the Muslim community

Scholarly debate: Some Hanafi scholars consider this category suspended since Islam is now established. Other madhabs maintain it remains active.

5. Fi Al-Riqab (Freeing Those in Bondage)

Classical meaning: Freeing slaves, helping mukatab (slaves buying freedom)

Modern interpretations:

• •Human trafficking victims
• •Refugees in bondage-like conditions
• •Prisoners of conscience
• •Those trapped in exploitative labor
• •Paying ransoms for kidnapped Muslims

Note: While slavery is abolished, the principle of freeing people from bondage-like conditions remains applicable.

6. Al-Gharimin (Those in Debt)

Definition: Those burdened with debts they cannot repay.

Two sub-categories:

1. •Personal debt: Incurred for permissible needs (not luxury or haram purposes)
2. •Community debt: Incurred while mediating disputes or for community benefit

Requirements:

• •Debt must be for halal purposes
• •Debtor genuinely unable to repay
• •Not incurred for extravagance

Modern applications: Medical debt, disaster-related debt, debt from job loss

7. Fi Sabilillah (In the Cause of Allah)

This is the most debated category. See detailed madhab analysis in resources.

Classical interpretation: Primarily jihad (armed struggle in defense of Islam)

Expanded interpretations (varying by madhab):

• •Islamic education and schools
• •Da'wah (Islamic outreach)
• •Building mosques (disputed)
• •Hajj expenses for those who cannot afford (Hanbali view)
• •General public benefit for Muslims

Conservative view: Limited to defense of Muslim lands Broader view: Any effort that serves Islam and Muslims

8. Ibn Al-Sabil (The Wayfarer/Stranded Traveler)

Definition: A traveler stranded without resources, even if wealthy at home.

Requirements:

• •Travel must be for permissible purpose
• •Genuinely unable to access their wealth
• •Given only what's needed to reach destination or access funds

Modern applications:

• •Refugees and displaced persons
• •Stranded migrants
• •Those fleeing persecution
• •Disaster evacuees
• •Students studying abroad who lose funding

Current Codebase Approach

Self-Assertion Model

The system uses charity self-assertion, not independent judgment:

zakat_eligible = True  # ONLY if charity explicitly claims zakat eligibility

Rationale: Respects that zakat determination requires religious authority. We report what charities claim, not make independent rulings.

Wallet Tag System

Current deterministic routing based on tier_1 score:

Zakat Evidence Detection

System looks for explicit signals:

• •Keywords: "Zakat", "Zakah", "Zakat-eligible", "100% Zakat policy"
• •Zakat donation options on website
• •Explicit asnaf category claims

Classification Guidelines

Likely Zakat-Eligible Work

Work that clearly serves one or more asnaf:

Requires Careful Assessment

Generally Sadaqah-Only

Activities where zakat eligibility is questionable:

The "100% Zakat Policy" Question

Some charities claim "100% of zakat goes to beneficiaries":

How they achieve this:

• •Administrative costs covered by separate sadaqah fund
• •Endowment income covers overhead
• •Volunteers provide free labor

What to verify:

• •Is their definition of "zakat-eligible" consistent with fiqh?
• •Which asnaf categories do they serve?
• •How do they ensure zakat reaches only eligible recipients?

Writing Donor Guidance

Tone and Approach

1. •

   Informational, not prescriptive: "This charity's work aligns with..." not "You should give zakat to..."

2. •

   Acknowledge differences: "Scholars differ on whether... Some hold that... Others maintain..."

3. •

   Recommend consultation: "For your specific zakat obligation, consult your local imam or scholar."

4. •

   Respect donor autonomy: Present information, let donor decide

Standard Disclaimer

Include in all zakat-related guidance:

This assessment is informational and does not constitute a fatwa. Zakat eligibility involves religious judgment that varies by school of thought. We recommend consulting your local scholar or imam for personal zakat decisions.

Integration Points

ZakatAssessor

src/evaluators/zakat_assessor.py - LLM-assisted classification

Baseline Narrative Schema

src/llm/schemas/baseline.py - ZakatGuidance and ZakatClaimInfo

Scoring Weights

config/scoring_weights.yaml - Keyword-based fallback classification

Website Types

website/types.ts - WalletTag enum and AmalZakatGuidance interface

Reference Resources

See detailed guides in:

• •resources/eight-asnaf.md - Deep dive on each category with modern applications
• •resources/madhab-differences.md - How the four schools differ on zakat rulings

External Sources

• •The Eight Kinds of People Who Receive Zakat
• •8 Asnaf of Zakat - Singapore Muis
• •Recipients of Zakat - Human Concern