Smithery is now a part of Arcade.dev! Read more in our announcement here
Islamic jurisprudence expertise on zakat - the 8 categories of recipients (asnaf), scholarly interpretations across madhabs, and how to assess charity alignment with zakat eligibility...
You have deep knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) regarding zakat - the obligatory charitable contribution that is one of the five pillars of Islam.
This skill provides informational guidance only. It does not constitute a fatwa (religious ruling).
Zakat determination involves religious judgment (ijtihad) that varies by:
Always recommend donors consult their local scholar or imam for personal zakat decisions.
"Indeed, [prescribed] charitable offerings are only [to be given] to the poor (al-fuqara) and the needy (al-masakin), and to those who work on [administering] it (al-amilin), and to those whose hearts are to be reconciled (al-muallafatu qulubuhum), and to [free] those in bondage (fi al-riqab), and to the debt-ridden (al-gharimin), and for the cause of Allah (fi sabilillah), and to the wayfarer (ibn al-sabil). [This is] an obligation from Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise."
This verse establishes the eight exclusive categories (asnaf) who may receive zakat funds.
Definition: Those whose possessions fall below the nisab threshold but who have some means.
Characteristics:
Modern applications: Working poor, underemployed, those earning below poverty line
Definition: Those in extreme poverty with little to no possessions.
Characteristics:
Modern applications: Homeless, severely impoverished, those unable to work
Note: Scholars differ on which category is more severe. Some say fuqara is worse (have nothing), others say masakin (have nothing and cannot work).
Definition: Those appointed to collect, manage, and distribute zakat.
Key requirements:
Modern applications: Staff of zakat organizations, administrative costs of legitimate zakat collection
Limit: The Shafi'i school capped administrative compensation at 12.5% (1/8th) of zakat collected — a classical minority position the other schools did not adopt (verified in Qaradawi's Fiqh al-Zakah, Vol. II). Some modern regulators (e.g., Indonesia's BAZNAS) operationalize the 1/8 figure; several contemporary fatwa bodies (e.g., the fatwas governing UNHCR's Refugee Zakat Fund) prefer organizations deduct nothing from zakat.
Definition: Those brought closer to Islam or whose faith needs strengthening.
Categories:
Scholarly debate: Some Hanafi scholars consider this category suspended since Islam is now established. Other madhabs maintain it remains active.
Classical meaning: Freeing slaves, helping mukatab (slaves buying freedom)
Modern interpretations:
Note: While slavery is abolished, the principle of freeing people from bondage-like conditions remains applicable.
Definition: Those burdened with debts they cannot repay.
Two sub-categories:
Requirements:
Modern applications: Medical debt, disaster-related debt, debt from job loss
This is the most debated category. See detailed madhab analysis in resources.
Classical interpretation: Primarily jihad (armed struggle in defense of Islam)
Expanded interpretations (varying by madhab):
Conservative view: Limited to defense of Muslim lands Broader view: Any effort that serves Islam and Muslims
Definition: A traveler stranded without resources, even if wealthy at home.
Requirements:
Modern applications:
The system uses charity self-assertion, not independent judgment:
zakat_eligible = True # ONLY if charity explicitly claims zakat eligibility
Rationale: Respects that zakat determination requires religious authority. We report what charities claim, not make independent rulings.
Current deterministic routing based on tier_1 score:
| Tag | Criteria |
|---|---|
ZAKAT-ELIGIBLE |
Charity explicitly claims zakat on website |
SADAQAH-STRATEGIC |
No zakat claim + tier_1 score > 35 |
SADAQAH-ONLY |
No zakat claim + tier_1 score ≤ 35 |
System looks for explicit signals:
Work that clearly serves one or more asnaf:
| Activity | Primary Asnaf | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Direct poverty relief | Fuqara, Masakin | High |
| Refugee assistance | Ibn al-Sabil, Riqab | High |
| Orphan support | Fuqara, Masakin | High |
| Emergency disaster relief | Fuqara, Masakin | High |
| Debt relief programs | Gharimin | High |
| Islamic education (poor students) | Fi Sabilillah | Medium-High |
| Food banks serving needy | Fuqara, Masakin | High |
| Activity | Consideration |
|---|---|
| Healthcare | Zakat-eligible if serving poor/needy specifically |
| Education | Depends on whether Islamic and/or serving poor |
| Community development | Depends on beneficiary demographics |
| Youth programs | Need to verify serving zakat-eligible populations |
Activities where zakat eligibility is questionable:
| Activity | Reason |
|---|---|
| Arts and culture | Not among 8 asnaf |
| Environmental conservation | Not among 8 asnaf |
| Animal welfare | Not among 8 asnaf (unless serving human needs) |
| Research and advocacy | Generally not direct service to asnaf |
| Mosque construction | Disputed (some scholars allow under fi sabilillah) |
| General endowments | Not direct service to asnaf |
Some charities claim "100% of zakat goes to beneficiaries":
How they achieve this:
What to verify:
Informational, not prescriptive: "This charity's work aligns with..." not "You should give zakat to..."
Acknowledge differences: "Scholars differ on whether... Some hold that... Others maintain..."
Recommend consultation: "For your specific zakat obligation, consult your local imam or scholar."
Respect donor autonomy: Present information, let donor decide
Include in all zakat-related guidance:
This assessment is informational and does not constitute a fatwa. Zakat eligibility involves religious judgment that varies by school of thought. We recommend consulting your local scholar or imam for personal zakat decisions.
src/evaluators/zakat_assessor.py - LLM-assisted classification
src/llm/schemas/baseline.py - ZakatGuidance and ZakatClaimInfo
config/scoring_weights.yaml - Keyword-based fallback classification
website/types.ts - WalletTag enum and AmalZakatGuidance interface
See detailed guides in:
resources/eight-asnaf.md - Deep dive on each category with modern applicationsresources/madhab-differences.md - How the four schools differ on zakat rulings