Dar-us-Salaam Zakat Eligibility Criteria (FAQs)

Yes, Dar-us-Salaam is a zakat eligible nonprofit organization. See the questions below to understand how the zakat money is used.

The ayah says zakat is for the Fuqarah, Masakin and to those who are administering it. Dar-us-Salaam plays the role of an administrator. We help the Fuqaraah and the Masaakin by collecting the Zakat money and by distributing it to them according to their needs. Since we play the role of an administrator in this case, some amount of the Zakat funds is used to pay the employees working for Dar-us-Salaam’s Zakat foundation, and for the other resources used such as phone and internet bills. 

A small amount of zakat money is used to spread the message of Islam by issuing booklets, conducting lectures, and sermons in the community. This comes under this particular part of the ayah ‘those whose hearts are to be reconciled’.

In the United States, thousands of Muslim prisoners are wrongly incarcerated due to their political and religious beliefs or their activism work in the same field. Several organizations in our community work towards freeing them and bringing them the justice they deserve.

Although Dar-us-Salaam does not have an extensive prisoner program, we have previously used a small portion of the zakat money given to us to hire lawyers to free the unjustly incarcerated Muslim prisoners.

Yes, at Dar-us-Salaam, we use your zakat money to pay the debt of someone who owes money to an individual, or an organization. For example, we have paid off medical bills, rent and other expenses as such. Apart from this, a huge sum of money collected by the Dar-us-Salaam Zakat foundation goes to pay off the tuition fee owed by parents to Al-Huda School. A number of parents enroll their children in Al-Huda School desiring its Islamic environment and curriculum as opposed to public schools. However, a few of them are unable to pay the yearly tuition fee due to financial difficulties. We take note of these parents, contact them, and let them know that the tuition fee they owe to the school can be cleared off using the zakat money by considering it as their debt towards the school.

This works in the best manner for both the parents and Dar-us-Salaam.

Important note: It must be noted that sponsoring an orphan, or a student cannot be considered for zakat unless these students fall under the category of masaakin or fuqarah. ‘Clearing Off the Debt’ , ‘Orphan Sponsorship Program’ or ‘Student Financial Aid Fund’ are not interchangeable terms.

The salaf have agreed that ‘fee sabeelillah’ refers to contributing zakat money towards jihad. However, in today’s context, and in the Western community, a few scholars in the West and Al-Azhar agree that our jihad in the West is to educate and spread the message of Islam in the community. They have permitted using a portion of zakat money to publish books related to Islam for da’waah purposes, or to set up free educational programs. The scholars have agreed that zakah money should not be used for maintenance of masaajid. But this ruling does not apply to musallahs where the five daily prayers are held, alongside Islamic classes and other community events to spread the message of Islam.

(Note: Masjid is a place where only prayers are conducted)

At Dar-us-salaam, we have a musallah inside the Al-Huda school building where several da’waah programs and Islamic lectures take place apart from the five daily prayers. We use a very small portion of the zakah money collected to pay off the musallah electricity and water bills, only if the donor allows it.

Yes, sometimes, we come across a traveler who would need help in fulfilling his/her basic needs. We give them what is needed from the zakat funds. However, this happens very rarely.

The Hifzh sponsorship program is Zakat eligible only when the money is given to the one who falls under the category of masaakin, fuqaraah, or the debt-ridden. Most of the time, the students who are put forward for sponsorship fall under one of these categories. In that manner, yes, hifzh sponsorship program can be zakat eligible. If none of the hifzh students fall under one of those categories, we will not disburse the zakat money for this cause.

Yes, the Student Financial Aid is zakat eligible. At Dar-us-Salaam, we use the student financial aid to help those students who cannot afford the tuition fee. At many instances, these students fall under the category of masaakin, fuqaraah, or the debt-ridden.

Almost all the efforts put forth by Ansaarul Birr is to reconcile the hearts in the community. We distribute meals, and essentials hoping that their hearts soften towards the message of Islam and the Muslim community. So yes, Ansaarul Birr is Zakat eligible. However, we use only some of the zakat money for Ansaarul Birr initiatives.

The Donor Care Office receives your zakat amount. Al-Huda school has the information of all the students who have difficulties in paying their tuition fees. The school passes on this information to the Finance office, along with their account details. The Finance office sends the zakat money to the parents of Zakat eligible students.

Note: Most of the zakat funds are used to directly benefit the masaakin, fuqaraah and debt-ridden in the community. Only a small percentage of the money is used for other purposes mentioned above.