Can I Use My Zakat to Sponsor an Orphan? A Clear Guide

When Ramadan arrives, our hearts turn to two of the most important forms of charity in Islam: paying our Zakat and helping those in need. Zakat is our obligatory duty, the Third Pillar of our faith. Sponsoring an orphan is one of the most beloved and virtuous Sunnahs of our Prophet (peace be upon him).

This leads many of us to ask a very important question: can these two powerful acts be combined? Can I use my Zakat to sponsor an orphan?

The simple answer is yes, you absolutely can, but it is crucial to understand how it works to make sure your Zakat is paid correctly and accepted by Allah (SWT).

This guide will explain the rules in a simple way, so you can give your Zakat with confidence and make a life-changing difference to a child in need.

First, Understanding the Rules of Zakat

Zakat is not just any charity; it is a specific act of worship with its own set of rules. To understand if your Zakat can go to an orphan, we need to look at two of those rules:

1. Who can receive Zakat?
2. How must Zakat be given?

1. Who is Eligible to Receive Zakat?

The Quran is very clear about who can receive Zakat. It names eight categories of people. The two most common ones are:

• Al-Fuqara (The Poor): Those who have very little or no income and struggle to find food, water, and shelter.
• Al-Masakin (The Needy): Those who may have a job or some income, but it is not enough to cover their family’s basic needs.

So, does an orphan fit into these categories?

In most cases, yes. An orphan, defined in Islam as a child who has lost their father or both parents, is often left in a situation of extreme poverty. They and their widowed mother usually fall perfectly into the categories of the poor and the needy.

However, it is important to remember that not every orphan is automatically eligible. For example, if an orphan inherited a large amount of wealth from their father, they would not be considered poor.

This is why, when you sponsor an orphan with Zakat, the charity (like Children of Adam) has a responsibility to make sure they are giving your Zakat to a child who is genuinely poor and needy. For the vast majority of orphans in places like Pakistan, Gaza, and Yemen, this is sadly their reality, making them fully eligible for your Zakat.

2. The Key Rule: What is Tamlik (Transfer of Ownership)?

This is the most important rule to understand. For your Zakat to be valid, you must transfer ownership of the money or goods to the poor person. This is called Tamlik in Arabic.

What does this mean?

• This is NOT Zakat: If you own a building and you let a poor family live in one of the flats for free, this is a wonderful act of Sadaqah (voluntary charity). But it is not Zakat, because you never gave them ownership of the flat.
• This IS Zakat: If you give a poor person money, which they then use to pay their rent. You have transferred ownership of the cash to them, and they have spent it on their need.

This is where orphan sponsorship can get tricky. If you donate Zakat to a charity and it just goes into a general fund to pay for the “running costs” of an orphanage, the rule of Tamlik might not be met.

However, a proper Zakat-eligible sponsorship program is designed to meet this rule perfectly.

How Sponsoring an Orphan with Zakat Works Correctly

When you give your Zakat to a trusted charity for orphan sponsorship, that charity acts as your Wakeel (your agent). Their job is to fulfil your Zakat on your behalf according to the rules.

This is what happens to your Zakat donation:

1. You Donate: You give your Zakat to the sponsorship program.
2. A Child is Identified: The charity identifies an orphan who is confirmed to be poor and eligible to receive Zakat.
3. Ownership is Transferred: The charity takes your money and uses it to buy the things the child needs—food, clothes, school books, medicine, etc.
4. The Guardian Receives the Goods: These items (or the money to buy them) are then given directly to the orphan’s guardian (usually their widowed mother).
5. Your Zakat is Complete: At this moment, Tamlik has occurred. The mother and her child now own the food, the clothes, and the school supplies. Your Zakat has been correctly delivered to an eligible person.

So, when you sponsor an orphan with Zakat, your money is not just “spent on them.” It is given to them (or their guardian) to cover their essential needs.

So, Can I Use My Zakat to Sponsor an Orphan?

Yes. As long as the two key conditions are met, it is one of the most beautiful and impactful ways to pay your Zakat.

The two conditions are:

1. The orphan and their family must be poor and eligible to receive Zakat (which most are).
2. The sponsorship program must correctly transfer ownership of the money, food, or items to the child’s guardian.

This is why it is so important to give your Zakat to a trusted organisation that has a clear Zakat policy and understands these rules.

Why It’s a Beautiful Way to Give Zakat

Combining your Zakat with orphan sponsorship is a special deed. You are not just fulfilling your pillar of Islam; you are investing in a human life.

Your Zakat payment doesn’t just feed a child for a day. It provides:

• Stability: The child no longer has to worry about their next meal.
• Health: They get nutritious food and healthcare, allowing them to grow strong.
• Dignity: They get clean clothes and can go to school with pride.
• A Future: The most powerful part. Your Zakat pays for their school fees, books, and uniform. This education is the tool that will allow them to break the cycle of poverty and become a self-sufficient, successful adult.

You are turning your Zakat into a true opportunity for someone to build a new life. This is a beautiful way to fulfill your duty, as explained in our post on the virtues of sponsoring an orphan.

Zakat is Not the Same as Fitrana

It’s important to remember that this Zakat (also called Zakat al-Mal, or Zakat on wealth) is different from the other donation we make at the end of Ramadan.

• Zakat: This is the 2.5% you pay annually on your total savings and wealth. This is the donation you can use for orphan sponsorship.
• Fitrana (Zakat al-Fitr): This is the small, fixed-amount donation (e.g., £5) that every single Muslim must pay before the Eid prayer. Its purpose is to feed the poor on the day of Eid.

Both are obligatory, but they are separate duties. This fulfills your Zakat, which is separate from the Fitrana payment all Muslims must make before Eid.

A Deed of Mercy and a Sacred Duty

So, can I use my Zakat to sponsor an orphan? Yes. There is arguably no better use for your Zakat than to lift a child out of poverty and give them the tools to build a future. It is a perfect combination of a sacred duty (Zakat) and a beloved act of compassion (caring for an orphan).

When you choose to give your Zakat this way, you are not just clearing a debt from your wealth. You are building a life, earning the prayers of a family, and securing the reward of being close to the Prophet (ﷺ) in Paradise.

Yes, as long as the child is eligible for Zakat. You can give your Zakat as an orphan sponsorship and transform a child’s world for the better.