Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Can we give zakat to our domestic servants, peons, Drivers and Darwans in office?

They are all needy as per my estimatiom.

I heard that it is better to read sunnat namaz at home and nafl in sitting position. Please let me know if I mheard correctly

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Answer:

Give zakah to servants

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: Can we give zakat to our domestic servants, peons, Drivers and Darwans in office?

They are all needy as per my estimatiom.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 60:

60 Alms are for the poor, and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds), for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to the Truth), for those in bondage and in debt, in the Cause of Allah, and for the wayfarer: (thus is it) ordained by Allah and Allah is full of Knowledge and Wisdom.

Allah Subhanah has prescribed that 'zakah' should be paid to any of the above eight listed categories:

1. To the poor
2. To the needy
3. To those who are employed to administer the zakah funds
4. To those whose hearts have recently been reconciled to the Truth of Islam (new-muslims)
5. For those in bondage
6. For those in debt
7. In the Cause of Allah
8. To the way-farer or traveler

Allah Subhanah has Commanded and Guided the believers that 'Zakah' must be distributed to any of the above eight categories only; for all other categories, one may help them through voluntary and supererogatory charity or 'sadaqah' but not through 'Zakah' funds.

If one's domestic servant, or peon, or driver, or employee falls in the category of poor and/or needy, and is a believer, there is absolutely no harm in helping them from one's 'zakah' dues.....one obviously cannot pay their salary or bonuses from one's 'zakah' dues for their services rendered; but if they happen to be poor and/or needy, there is absolutely no harm in spending on them from one's 'zakah' dues.

Your Question: I heard that it is better to read sunnat namaz at home

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 1039 Narrated by Zayd ibn Thabit

The Prophet (saws) said: 'The prayer a man offers in his house is more excellent than his prayer in this mosque of mine, except obligatory prayer.'

Sahih Muslim Hadith 1707 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: 'Do not make your house as graveyards (where the offering of prayers is obviously prohibited).'

All the scholars in Islam are unanimous in their opinion that in light of the above authentic hadiths and the established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), that although it is not prohibited for the believers to offer their 'Nafl' or Sunnah prayers in the masjids, the Sunnah or Nafl prayers a believer prays in his house are more excellent and more meritorious in the Sight of Allah Subhanah than if prayed in the masjids.

It was the preferred Sunnah or tradition of the Messenger of Allah (saws) that he (saws) would pray the obligatory prayers in congregation in the masjid, and the supererogatory (Nafl) prayers in his house.

Your Question: .....and nafl in sitting position.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.103

Topic: The prayer of a person who is ill (Salatul Marid)

Whoever has some excuse due to illness and cannot stand during the 'salah' is allowed to pray in a sitting position. If one cannot pray in a sitting posture, he may pray while on his side by making gestures. In such a case, his gestures for the 'sajdah; should be lower than those for his 'ruku'. This principle is based on Allah's words: "...And celebrate Allah's praises, standing, sitting, and lying on your sides (3:191)."

Imran ibn Hussain says: "I had piles [hemorrhoids], so I asked the Prophet (saws) about the prayer and he (saws) said: 'Offer the 'salah' while standing and if you cannot do so, pray while sitting, and if you can't do that, then make 'salah' while lying on your side."' (Related by Bukhari)

An-Nasa'i relates the same hadith with the following addition:: "......And if you cannot offer 'salah' while lying on your side, then do it while lying on your back.' Then the Messenger of Allah (saws) recited the following verse of the Quran: 'Allah does not burden a soul, save with what it can bear (2:286)."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.216 Narrated by Imran bin Husain

I asked Allah's Messenger (saws) about the praying of a man while sitting. He (saws) said, "If he prays while standing it is better, and he who prays while sitting gets half the reward of that who prays standing; and whoever prays while lying gets half the reward of that who prays while sitting."

Although it is best that one offer all of one's prayers, regardless of whether they be 'fard', 'sunnah', or 'nafl' in 'qiyaam' (standing posture).....if for any genuine reason one is compelled to offer their prayers in a sitting position, there is no harm; but the reward of offering one's prayers in 'qiyaam' (standing) is better than the prayer of one who is sitting.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah's Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan