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:

Tag	Criteria
ZAKAT-ELIGIBLE	Charity explicitly claims zakat on website
SADAQAH-STRATEGIC	No zakat claim + tier_1 score > 35
SADAQAH-ONLY	No zakat claim + tier_1 score ≤ 35

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:

Activity	Primary Asnaf	Confidence
Direct poverty relief	Fuqara, Masakin	High
Refugee assistance	Ibn al-Sabil, Riqab	High
Orphan support	Fuqara, Masakin	High
Emergency disaster relief	Fuqara, Masakin	High
Debt relief programs	Gharimin	High
Islamic education (poor students)	Fi Sabilillah	Medium-High
Food banks serving needy	Fuqara, Masakin	High

Requires Careful Assessment

Activity	Consideration
Healthcare	Zakat-eligible if serving poor/needy specifically
Education	Depends on whether Islamic and/or serving poor
Community development	Depends on beneficiary demographics
Youth programs	Need to verify serving zakat-eligible populations

Generally Sadaqah-Only

Activities where zakat eligibility is questionable:

Activity	Reason
Arts and culture	Not among 8 asnaf
Environmental conservation	Not among 8 asnaf
Animal welfare	Not among 8 asnaf (unless serving human needs)
Research and advocacy	Generally not direct service to asnaf
Mosque construction	Disputed (some scholars allow under fi sabilillah)
General endowments	Not direct service to asnaf

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