Tuesday 9 Ramadan 1445 - 19 March 2024
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The fate of one who does not pay zakah

Question

What is the ruling on a person who testifies that there is no god except Allah and establishes regular prayers, but he does not pay zakah and does not accept that? What is the Islamic ruling on such a person if he dies – can the funeral prayer be offered for him or not?

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

Zakah is one of the pillars of Islam. If a person does not do it because he does not believe that it is obligatory, the ruling should be explained to him and if he persists, then he is a kaafir, and the funeral prayer cannot be offered for him and he cannot be buried in the Muslim graveyard. But if he does not pay zakah because he is stingy, but he believes that it is obligatory, then he is a sinner who is guilty of a major sin and he is a wrong doer, but he is not a kaafir. Therefore he should be washed (ghusl) and the funeral prayer should be offered for him if he dies in this state, and his case will be decided on the Day of Resurrection.

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Source: (Fatawaa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 9/184)