His statement, “what suffices them”: What is taken into consideration is not what suffices the person alone, but what suffices him and those whom he supports. Nor is it limited to what provides him with food, drink, housing, and clothing; rather, it even includes preserving chastity—that is, marriage. Thus, if a person needs to marry and possesses enough for his food, drink, clothing, and housing, but does not have enough for the bridal gift, then we give him what will enable him to marry, even if it is a considerable amount.

If a man possesses enough for his food, drink, housing, and clothing, but is a student of knowledge who needs books to be purchased for him, then we give him only the books he needs. For if he is given for the nourishment of his body, he is likewise given for the nourishment of his spirit and heart. However, he is not given funds to furnish a large library, but only to meet his need in seeking knowledge.

If he has enough for food, drink, housing, and marriage, but needs a car, then we pay the rental cost by which he can hire a car; we do not buy one for him. For if we were to buy it for him, we would purchase it at a high price, and that amount could be given to another poor person.

Issues:

First: The poor person is given what suffices him until the end of the year, because zakat is renewed every year. Were it said that he should be given until he becomes wealthy and the description of poverty no longer applies to him, that would be a strong view. The same applies to the needy person.

Second: Imam Ahmad—may Allah have mercy on him—explicitly stated that one who owns real estate which he would be harmed by selling, and from which he earns less than what suffices him, is to be given