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Distributing Zakah and charity on basis of colour or culture

Question

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatohu. What is the correct Islamic view point on creation of sects by Muslims based on colour, ethnicity, culture, language and politico/geographic boundaries with a view to distributing Zakat, Sadaqa and welfare amongst their members regardless of other criteria and eligibility?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

Classifying people according to what you mentioned in the question and distributing charity and Zakah on that basis is a religious innovation and it is a form of discrimination and creating division among Muslims.

The Zakah should be spent on its categories that are specified in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) and these categories are not based on color, language or anything else that you mentioned in the question. The Muslims should endeavor to do what unites them and strengthens them and they should stay away from such trivialities. The Muslim nation is not in need of more abuse in its entity and unity, as it is already widely disunited and torn apart.

For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 88368 and 82140.

Allaah Knows best.

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