Ruling on giving gifts or charity to the servant

Praise be to Allah.

There is nothing wrong with giving a gift to the servant, of giving her charity if she needs it.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it permissible to give charity to the servant from zakah, noting that we give her a regular salary too?

He replied: There is nothing wrong with a person giving his zakah to his servant, whether the servant is a man or a woman, if he or she has a family in his home country who are in need, and the salary that he receives is not sufficient for them. But if the salary is sufficient, meaning that it is sufficient for the family, then it is not permissible to give them zakah, because Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): {Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [zakah] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveler - an obligation [imposed] by Allah . And Allah is Knowing and Wise} [at-Tawbah 9:60]. And because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to Mu‘adh ibn Jabal when he sent him to Yemen: “Teach them that Allah has enjoined upon them charity from their wealth, to be taken from their rich ones and given to their poor ones.” End quote.

Fatawa Nur ‘ala ad-Darb.

If this is permissible in the case of zakah on one’s wealth, then it is more appropriate that it should be permissible in the case of voluntary charity.

But we should point out that it is not permissible for the one who is giving zakah to benefit from giving it to his servant, such as if he gives it to her instead of increasing her salary or instead of giving her some bonus that he had promised her, or to ask her to do more than was agreed upon, and the like.

For more information, please see the answer to question no. 67926 .

And Allah knows best.