Q: I got a zakat money from a source. The source gave me the money to distribute among needy people. The source has given me the authority to make the decision to whom I give the zakat. Now, one of my family members lives abroad and he is unsable to earn any single penny to bear his living expense. Can I pay him a portion of the zakat money?
A. If the person who gave you the Zakaat to distribute gave you complete authority to distribute according to your wishes and did not stipulate particular people to be the recipients of the Zakaat, then you may give your members from that Zakaat provided they qualify to receive Zakaat.
Mufti Siraj Desai