Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (25/91)

He was asked:

“A poor woman is in debt and has young grandchildren through her daughter who possess wealth and are under guardianship. Is it permissible for them to give their zakat to their grandmother? Does she take priority over others?”

He replied:

Giving her their zakat to repay her debt is permissible according to the stronger of the two scholarly views. This is one of the two views within the school of Ahmad and others. The same applies to giving zakat to other relatives to repay their debts.

As for giving it to cover her living expenses, if her needs are already met by their support or that of others, it is not to be given to her. If, however, she needs their zakat, it is to be given to her according to the stronger of the two scholarly views, and she has a greater right to it than those who are unrelated. And Allah knows best.

وَسُئِلَ: عَنْ امْرَأَةٍ فَقِيرَةٍ وَعَلَيْهَا دَيْنٌ وَلَهَا أَوْلَادُ بِنْتٍ صِغَارٌ وَلَهُمْ مَالٌ وَهُمْ تَحْتَ الْحَجْرِ: هَلْ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَدْفَعُوا زَكَاتَهُمْ إلَى جَدَّتِهِمْ؟ أَمْ لَا؟ وَهَلْ هِيَ أَوْلَى مَنْ غَيْرِهَا أَمْ لَا؟ فَأَجَابَ: أَمَّا دَفْعُ زَكَاتِهِمْ إلَيْهَا لِقَضَاءِ دَيْنِهَا فَيَجُوزُ فِي أَظْهَرِ قَوْلَيْ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَهُوَ أَحَدُ الْقَوْلَيْنِ فِي مَذْهَبِ أَحْمَد وَغَيْرِهِ. وَكَذَلِكَ دَفْعُهَا إلَى سَائِرِ الْأَقَارِبِ لِأَجْلِ الدَّيْنِ. وَأَمَّا دَفْعُهَا لِأَجْلِ النَّفَقَةِ: فَإِنْ كَانَتْ مُسْتَغْنِيَةً بِنَفَقَتِهِمْ أَوْ نَفَقَةِ غَيْرِهِمْ لَمْ تُدْفَعْ إلَيْهَا. وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مُحْتَاجَةً إلَى زَكَاتِهِمْ دُفِعَتْ إلَيْهَا فِي أَظْهَرِ قَوْلَيْ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَهِيَ أَحَقُّ مِنْ الْأَجَانِبِ وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.