Quick Answer
In the majority view of all four Sunni schools, obligatory Zakat (Zakat al-Mal) is given to Muslims only. The one debated exception is the Quranic category “those whose hearts are to be reconciled,” which Hanbali and Maliki jurists, and several contemporary scholars, allow to include non-Muslims. A minority of early jurists also permitted Zakat to non-Muslim poor, and the Hanafi school allows Zakat al-Fitr to non-Muslims. If you want to help non-Muslims in need, Sadaqah has no restriction on recipients at all.
You want to support people in need regardless of their faith, and Islam encourages exactly that. The question is whether Zakat specifically, as opposed to voluntary charity, can be directed that way.
This guide sets out what the Quran says about who receives Zakat, where the schools of law agree and disagree, the exceptions that do exist, and what to give instead if your intended recipient is not Muslim. If you are new to the subject, start with our explainer on what Zakat is in Islam.
Table of Contents
Who Can Receive Zakat According to the Quran?
Zakat recipients are fixed by the Quran in Surah At-Tawbah (9:60). The verse names eight categories: the poor (al-fuqara), the needy (al-masakin), those employed to administer Zakat, those whose hearts are to be reconciled (al-mu’allafati qulubuhum), those in bondage, those in debt, those in the cause of Allah, and the stranded traveler.
Unlike voluntary charity, Zakat leaves no room for personal discretion about who receives it. Giving to anyone outside these eight categories does not discharge the obligation. For a full breakdown of each category and who is excluded, see our guide on who is eligible for Zakat.
Notice that the verse itself does not say “Muslim poor” or “Muslim needy.” That silence is why the question of non-Muslim recipients has been discussed by jurists since the earliest generations, and why the answer depends on how the verse is read alongside other evidence.
Why the Majority View Restricts Zakat to Muslims
All four Sunni schools of law, Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali, hold that Zakat al-Mal is given to Muslims. The main textual basis is the instruction the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave Mu’adh ibn Jabal when sending him to Yemen: inform them that Allah has made obligatory a charity “to be taken from their rich and given to their poor” (Bukhari and Muslim). Jurists read “their poor” as the poor of the Muslim community to whom Mu’adh was sent.
A second line of reasoning is the nature of Zakat itself. It is an act of worship (ibadah) and the third pillar of Islam, not simply a tax or welfare payment. Like prayer and fasting, it is tied to the community of believers. On this reading, Zakat works as a system of mutual obligation within the Muslim community, while general charity remains open to everyone.
This is not about excluding non-Muslims from support. Islamic law requires the state and individuals to care for non-Muslim poor through other funds, and the Quran praises those who feed “the needy, the orphan and the captive” (76:8) without any faith condition. The restriction is on which pool the money comes from, not on whether the person deserves help.
The One Category Where Scholars Differ: Reconciled Hearts
The fourth category, those whose hearts are to be reconciled (al-mu’allafati qulubuhum), is the only one where a recognized body of scholarship allows non-Muslim recipients. The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave from this share to both new Muslims whose faith was still weak and to non-Muslim tribal leaders whose goodwill protected the community.
The four schools take different positions on whether this category still applies and whom it covers:
| School | Does the category still apply? | Can non-Muslims receive under it? |
| Hanafi | No. The classical position is that it lapsed after the Prophet’s death, when Islam no longer needed to be strengthened this way. | Not applicable |
| Maliki | Yes | Yes, where giving brings a person closer to Islam or secures the community’s safety |
| Shafi’i | Yes | No. The school restricts this share to Muslims whose faith needs strengthening |
| Hanbali | Yes | Yes. Ibn Qudamah in al-Mughni lists non-Muslims whose conversion is hoped for, or whose harm is feared, as eligible |
In modern times, Yusuf al-Qaradawi in Fiqh al-Zakah argued the category remains in force and can include non-Muslims where it serves the interests of Muslims, such as building goodwill in minority communities. The Fiqh Council of North America has taken a similar view. These are recognized scholarly positions, not fringe opinions, but they are applied narrowly to specific circumstances, not as a general permission to give Zakat to any non-Muslim in need.
What About the Poor and the Needy?
Even though the first two categories carry no religious qualifier in the verse, the four schools restrict them to Muslims, based on the hadith of Mu’adh and the reasoning above. Most Zakat today goes to these two categories, so this is the ruling that matters most in practice.
There is, however, a classical minority view. Zufar ibn al-Hudhayl, a senior student of Abu Hanifa, held that Zakat could be given to non-Muslim poor living under Muslim rule (dhimmis). Ibn Sirin and al-Zuhri from the generation after the Companions are reported to have held the same. Their reasoning was that the verse is general and the hadith describes the ordinary case rather than imposing a condition.
This view was never adopted by any of the four schools, and it is not the position of most Islamic charities, mosques or Zakat calculators today. It matters because it shows the question was discussed seriously by early jurists, not invented in modern times. If you are inclined to rely on it, discuss your situation with a qualified scholar rather than acting on a general online summary.
Can Zakat al-Fitr Be Given to Non-Muslims?
Zakat al-Fitr, the small payment due before the Eid al-Fitr prayer, follows different rules from Zakat al-Mal on this point. Abu Hanifa permitted Zakat al-Fitr to be given to non-Muslim poor, and this remains a valid position within the Hanafi school, though giving it to Muslims is preferred. The Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali schools restrict Zakat al-Fitr to Muslims, like Zakat al-Mal.
If you follow the Hanafi school and have a non-Muslim neighbor in genuine need at Eid, this is one route that classical scholarship allows. For the rules on amount and timing, see our guide to Zakat al-Fitr or give through our Fitrana program.
What You Can Give to Non-Muslims Instead
Your wish to help non-Muslims does not have to be limited by Zakat’s rules. Sadaqah, voluntary charity, has no restriction on who receives it, and the Quran and Sunnah encourage giving to anyone in need. The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave gifts to non-Muslims, and Asma bint Abi Bakr was told to maintain ties with her non-Muslim mother, including through financial support (Bukhari).
The practical approach is to fulfill your Zakat obligation among eligible Muslim recipients, then give Sadaqah separately to anyone, of any faith, as often and as generously as you choose. Our post on what Sadaqah is explains the forms it can take.
| Type of giving | Who can receive it | Notes |
| Zakat al-Mal | Muslims in the eight categories (majority view) | Obligatory, 2.5% of qualifying wealth, once a lunar year |
| Zakat al-Fitr | Muslims; non-Muslim poor in the Hanafi school | Due before the Eid al-Fitr prayer |
| Sadaqah | Anyone, of any faith | Voluntary, no fixed amount or timing |
| Lillah | Anyone, of any faith | A South Asian term for general donations “for the sake of Allah”; it is a form of Sadaqah, not a separate category |
| Qard Hasan | Anyone, of any faith | Interest-free loan, repaid when the borrower is able |
| Humanitarian aid (food, water, disaster relief) | Anyone, of any faith | Funded from Sadaqah; most Islamic charities distribute it without religious criteria |
The key difference between the two main forms is covered in our guide to the differences between Zakah and Sadaqah.
Why Getting This Right Matters
If Zakat is given to someone who does not qualify, the majority of scholars hold that the obligation is not discharged and the amount is still owed to an eligible recipient. The Hanafi school makes one allowance: if you made a genuine effort to verify eligibility and the recipient later turned out not to qualify, the Zakat counts. Sadaqah has no such correction, because it has no eligibility rules.
This is also why Zakat should never be mixed into a general charity pot. It has its own rules on recipients, rate and timing. Our guides to how to calculate Zakat, the nisab threshold and when Zakat is due cover the other two conditions. For a neutral overview of the practice and its history, the Wikipedia article on Zakat is a useful reference.
How to Make Sure Your Zakat Reaches Eligible Recipients
Giving through a reputable Islamic charity is the simplest way to be confident your Zakat lands within the eight categories, since verifying eligibility is part of their standard process. If you distribute Zakat yourself, confirm the recipient’s circumstances, especially for less obvious categories such as debt relief or stranded travelers.
Darul Infaq distributes Zakat only to verified eligible families through its Zakat-ul-Maal program, supporting them with monthly groceries, financial assistance and orphan support. Sadaqah donations fund programs open to anyone in need, including fresh meals and emergency relief. Our published financial reports show where every dollar goes.
Calculated your zakat on gold? Pay it where it reaches those who qualify.
Give Your Zakat Now →Frequently Asked Questions
Can Zakat be given to non-Muslims?
In the majority view of all four Sunni schools, no. Zakat al-Mal is given to Muslims within the eight Quranic categories. The exception is the “reconciled hearts” category, which Hanbali and Maliki jurists allow to include non-Muslims in specific circumstances.
Is Zakat only for Muslims?
Zakat al-Mal is, in the mainstream view. Sadaqah, Qard Hasan and humanitarian aid are open to anyone of any faith, and Islam strongly encourages giving to non-Muslims in need through these routes.
Can I give Zakat to a non-Muslim neighbor who is poor?
Not from your Zakat al-Mal under the majority view. You can give them Sadaqah of any amount instead. If you follow the Hanafi school, Zakat al-Fitr is also permitted to non-Muslim poor.
What happens if I already gave Zakat to a non-Muslim?
Under the majority view the obligation remains, and you should pay that amount again to an eligible Muslim recipient. What you gave counts as Sadaqah and is rewarded as such. If you relied on a scholar’s ruling that allowed it, follow that scholar’s guidance.
Can Zakat be given to non-Muslim disaster victims?
The mainstream view is no for Zakat al-Mal. Most Islamic relief charities fund disaster aid for non-Muslims from Sadaqah and general donations. Some contemporary scholars allow Zakat under “reconciled hearts” where it builds goodwill toward Muslims; ask the charity which fund your donation enters.
Can a non-Muslim pay Zakat?
No. Zakat is an act of worship obligatory on Muslims only. A non-Muslim who wishes to donate to an Islamic charity can do so as a general donation, and that money is distributed as Sadaqah.
