Preferences for Relatives and Those of Them to Whom Zakat Cannot Be Paid

“I once said to abu al-Hassan, Musa (a.s.), that I pay Zakat to my relatives and give preference to certain ones among them over the others when it is time to pay Zakat. He (the Imam) asked, ’Are they deserving…

“Once someone asked him (the Imam) ‘Alayhi al-Salam, when I was hearing, saying, ‘Can I pay Zakat to my relatives and they do not know (this belief)? He (the Imam) said, ‘Do not pay Zakat to anyone who is not a Muslim,…

“I once asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), about a man who has relatives, friends and followers who love ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), but they do not acknowledge the owner of this issue (one who possesses Divine Authority) if he can…

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who owes Zakat and has needy relatives who do not know (one who possesses Divine Authority). ‘Can he give Zakat to them?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he cannot give them and…

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Zakat cannot be given to five kinds of people: father, mother, children, slaves, and one’s wife, because they are one’s dependents for whom one must provide sustenance.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Zakat can be given to one’s brother, sister, uncle, aunt (paternal and maternal); but it cannot be given to grandfather and grandmother.’”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about a man who is one of your followers whose relatives all speak of you and he owes Zakat; can he pay all of his Zakat to them. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so.’”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about a man who pays all of his Zakat to his relatives who have accepted you as their Waliy (one who possesses Divine Authority). He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so.’”

“I once wrote to abu al-Hassan, the third (a.s.), and asked, ‘I have children, men and women. Can I pay from Zakat anything to them?’ He (the Imam) wrote to me, ‘It is permissible for you.’”

“I once asked al-Sadiq, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Can I give one out of ten of my asset to the children of my daughter? He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is not harmful.’”