Can You Give Zakat to Non-Muslims?

The Majority Position

The most direct evidence cited by scholars is the famous hadith sent with Mu'adh ibn Jabal when the Prophet ﷺ sent him to Yemen. He instructed Mu'adh to tell the people: “Allah has made obligatory upon them a zakat in their wealth — to be taken from their rich and given to their poor.” (Sahih Bukhari 1395, Sahih Muslim 19). Scholars of all four madhabs interpret the pronoun “their” — referring back to the Muslim community being addressed — as restricting the pool of recipients to Muslims.

The Quranic foundation is Surah al-Tawbah 9:60, which lists the eight categories of zakat recipients. The scholarly reading is that all eight categories are framed within the context of the Muslim community. The word fuqara (the poor) and masakin (the needy), for example, are understood by the majority to mean Muslim poor and needy.

“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.”

— Surah al-Tawbah, 9:60

This is not a fringe or peripheral ruling — it represents the mainstream, historically consistent position of Islamic jurisprudence. Understanding it clearly is important not to discourage charity to non-Muslims (which is strongly encouraged through voluntary sadaqah) but to help Muslims correctly discharge their specific zakat obligation.

Four Madhab Positions in Detail

While all four schools converge on the general prohibition, each has its own specific formulation and nuances. Understanding these positions helps clarify where the genuine scholarly discussion exists.

The consistency across all four schools on the core ruling is striking and reflects the strength of the underlying evidence. Where schools differ is in the edges: the scope of the mu'allafat al-qulub exception, the status of zakat al-fitr (in the Hanafi school), and how to apply these rules in contexts very different from classical Islamic governance — such as Muslim minorities in Western democratic states.

The Mu'allafat al-Qulub Exception

The historical application of this category is well-documented. The Prophet ﷺ gave portions of zakat from the Hawazin booty (which some scholars classify under mu'allafat) to newly converted tribal leaders and others. The caliph Abu Bakr continued this practice briefly. However, Umar ibn al-Khattab discontinued payments to this category during his caliphate, arguing that Islam was now strong and no longer needed to “purchase” allegiances. This decision was accepted by the other companions, which some scholars interpret as indicating the category has been suspended.

The scholarly debate on whether mu'allafat al-qulub creates an exception for non-Muslims today has three main positions:

The practical implication is clear: the mu'allafat al-qulub category does not function as a general license to give zakat to non-Muslims. Even if one accepts the narrowest traditional reading of the category, it would apply only to very specific circumstances involving an imminent conversion or a person whose religious inclination toward Islam has concrete communal benefit — not to general humanitarian giving to non-Muslims.

The Critical Distinction — Zakat vs Sadaqah

Understanding the zakat/sadaqah distinction is the most important practical takeaway from this topic. The restriction on giving to non-Muslims applies exclusively to obligatory zakat — it says absolutely nothing about voluntary charity (sadaqah). The two are distinct in Islamic law, and conflating them leads to a serious misunderstanding of Islam's approach to inter-faith generosity.

“Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes — from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.”

— Surah al-Mumtahanah, 60:8

This verse is one of the Quran's most direct statements on relations with non-Muslims. The word tabarruhum — “being righteous toward them” — is explicitly interpreted by scholars of tafsir as including material charity and financial generosity. Imam al-Qurtubi and others in classical tafsir explicitly cite this verse as the basis for permitting voluntary charity to peaceful non-Muslims.

“In every living being there is a reward for charity.”

— Sahih Bukhari 2466, narrated by Abu Hurayrah (RA)

This hadith — which classical scholars cite to establish the universal scope of voluntary giving — is significant: the Prophet ﷺ described reward for charitable acts toward “every living being” without qualification. Scholars of hadith note this extends from humans of all faiths to animals. The scope of sadaqah in Islam is deliberately universal, making Islam's charitable ethic among the most inclusive in any religious tradition.

The historical record confirms the Prophet ﷺ himself gave voluntary charity to non-Muslim Meccan relatives, including his paternal aunt and extended family. The companion Asma bint Abi Bakr asked the Prophet ﷺ whether she could maintain good relations with her non-Muslim mother who came to visit her in Medina. He replied: “Yes, maintain relations with your mother.” (Sahih Bukhari 2620). This is the lived Sunnah of charitable generosity across religious lines.

Abu Hanifa's Unique Position on Zakat al-Fitr

Zakat al-fitr is the charitable payment obligated at the end of Ramadan, given before the Eid prayer. Classical scholars describe it as having a strong communal and social dimension — the Prophet ﷺ said it was prescribed “as purification for the fasting person from idle and obscene speech, and as food for the poor” (Abu Dawud 1609). Abu Hanifa's position rests on interpreting the “food for the poor” dimension as applying to the local community in its entirety, including dhimmi residents who shared the social space of the Islamic city.

Abu Hanifa's two most prominent students — Abu Yusuf and Muhammad al-Shaybani — did not adopt this position. Neither do most contemporary Hanafi authorities. The majority of Hanafi scholars, and all three other schools, consider Islam a condition for receiving even zakat al-fitr.

Contemporary Scholarly Discussion

The question of zakat and non-Muslims has gained renewed attention in the context of Muslim minorities living in pluralistic Western societies. Several angles of contemporary scholarly discussion are worth understanding.

For a deeper understanding of who qualifies to receive zakat among Muslims, see the eight categories of zakat recipients explained in detail, the rules for new Muslims as zakat recipients, and the glossary entry on sadaqah for a complete picture of Islamic voluntary giving.