Is it necessary to inform the recipient that what you’re giving them is Zakah

Question:

At the giving of the Zakat upon money, is it incumbent to inform the one entitled that this is Zakah?

Answer:

If he’s from Āl Bayt (The family of the Prophet ﷺ) then yes, so that he doesn’t eat from it, and doesn’t take that money, because it’s not allowed for him to accept Zakāh.

And if it’s other than that and he gave it and didn’t mention whether it’s Zakāh or not and spent it, then it has reached its intended place and it suffices for him even of he doesn’t inform him.

And it’s not incumbent to inform him if he’s not from Āl Bayt but verily it’s from the angle of advice. Because Salmān came to the Prophet ﷺ with some dates and said this is Sadaqah, so the Prophet ﷺ didn’t eat from it after that became clear to him. He said: “Eat,” but he himself didn’t eat. Then he came another time and said: “This is a gift.” So he ate from it and ordered them to eat.

The point of benefit is to clarify to the one who is not allowed it that it’s Zakah, whether they be from Al Bayt or from those who aren’t eligible to it.

Answered by: Shaykh, the Allamah, the Trustworthy Advisor, Abu Abdirrahman Yahya bin Ali Al-Hajuri – may Allah preserve him

Source: https://t.me/sh_yahia_duroos/9016

Translated by: Abū ‘Abdillāh ‘Omar bin Yahya Al-‘Akawi