The eight categories
Where your Zakat goes
Zakat has eight defined categories of recipient. Here is how we apply them.
Surah at-Tawbah (9:60) names eight categories of Zakat recipient.
All eight are listed below. Three of them describe what we actually distribute; the other five say plainly that we do not, which is a more useful statement than leaving them out.
The eight categories
Who Zakat may be given to
- 01 The poor al-fuqara — those without enough to meet basic needs. We distribute here
- 02 The needy al-masakin — those whose income does not cover their household. We distribute here
- 03 Those in debt al-gharimin — debt taken on for necessities, not for trade. We distribute here
- 04 The wayfarer ibn as-sabil — for us this covers households displaced by floods and other disasters. We distribute here
- 05 Zakat administrators al-amilina alayha — those employed to collect and distribute it. Not used by us
- 06 Those whose hearts are to be reconciled al-mu’allafati qulubuhum. Not used by us
- 07 Those in bondage fi’r-riqab — freeing those held in bondage. Not used by us
- 08 In the cause of Allah fi sabilillah. Not used by us
Segregation
How we keep it separate
- A separate account. Zakat is received into its own account, not the general fund.
- Tracked separately. Its own line in our ledgers, from receipt to handover.
- Reported separately. Its own figures in the audited accounts, not folded into a total.
Where an appeal is not Zakat-eligible, we say so on the appeal page rather than leaving you to guess.
Our limits
What we do not do
- We take no administrative share from Zakat. Category three would arguably permit it. We do not.
- Zakat never funds fundraising or general programme costs. Operations come from the Impact Fund and general donations instead.
Give now
Give your Zakat
Into the categories set out above — and nowhere else. Held separately, reported separately.
- Held in a separate account from all other income
- Distributed only to the eight eligible categories
- Reported on its own line in our audited accounts