Ruling 1996 — Alms Tax (Zakat)

A person can take from the ‘in the way of Allah’ portion of zakat for hajj, ziyārah,[1] and suchlike, even if he is not poor or has already taken an amount of zakat that is equal to his annual living expenses, provided that going for hajj, ziyārah, and suchlike is in the general public interest, and, based on obligatory precaution, he has obtained permission from a fully qualified jurist for using zakat in this way.