سوال

?Can I pay zakat to the student who want to get higher education    

اَلجَوَابْ بِاسْمِ مُلْہِمِ الصَّوَابْ

It is important to note that the person eligible to receive Zakat is a Muslim who does not possess wealth or goods equal to or exceeding the Nisab, apart from their basic necessities and personal use (such as a place to live, household utensils, clothing, etc.). The Nisab is defined as 7.5 tolas of gold or 52.5 tolas of silver, or the equivalent value in other forms of wealth. Additionally, the person should not belong to the Sayyid lineage. Such a person is eligible to receive Zakat, and it is permissible for them to accept Zakat according to their needs.

Therefore, if an eligible person seeks to receive Zakat funds to pursue higher education, they may accept Zakat in an amount that fulfills their need. However, if they receive such an amount that makes them a possessor of Nisab once, they will not be permitted to accept further Zakat until this amount is spent and their wealth falls below the Nisab.

Note that transfer of ownership (Tamleek) is a condition in Zakat. This means that Zakat items or funds must be given to the eligible person in such a way that they become the owner. This is typically done by handing the Zakat amount directly to the eligible person, or depositing it into their institution with their permission. In this case, the institution acts as an agent on behalf of the eligible person to accept their Zakat.

 الفتاوى الهندية (5/ 135):

لا يجوز دفع الزكاة إلى من يملك نصابا أي مال كان دنانير أو دراهم أو سوائم أو عروضا للتجارة أو لغير التجارة فاضلا عن حاجته في جميع السنة هكذا في الزاهدي والشرط أن يكون فاضلا عن حاجته الأصلية ، وهي مسكنه ، وأثاث مسكنه وثيابه وخادمه ، ومركبه وسلاحه ، ولا يشترط النماء إذ هو شرط وجوب الزكاة لا الحرمان كذا في الكافي .

ويجوز دفعها إلى من يملك أقل من النصاب ، وإن كان صحيحا مكتسبا كذا في الزاهدي .

الفتاوى الهندية (5/ 14):

أما تفسيرها فهي تمليك المال من فقير مسلم غير هاشمي ، ولا مولاه بشرط قطع المنفعة عن المملك من كل وجه لله - تعالى - هذا في الشرع كذا في التبيين