By Asma bint Shameem
Generally speaking, the term “Syed” is used for someone who is from the family of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam or Ahl al-Bayt.
Shaikh Salih al-Munajjid said:
“Ahl al-Bayt or the family of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam are: his wives, his children, and Banu Haashim, Banu ‘Abd al-Muttalib and their freed slaves.”
And it’s true that anyone who’s from the lineage of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam should not be given zakaah.
That’s because it’s the order of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam himself.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“Zakaah should not be given to the family of Muhammad because *it is from the dirt of the people.*’”
(Muslim 1784)
Zakaah is called the “dirt of the people” because Zakaah is the money that’s taken out of one’s wealth to PURIFY it, and given to the poor.
Allaah says:
“Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it”
[al-Tawbah 9:103]
So it’s out of *respect* and *honor* for the family of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam that we don’t give them Zakaah.
Rather, the people of “Aal al-Bayt” or the family of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam are supposed to be given from the war booty and taken care of by the Muslim Treasury.
Having said that, if the person is proven to be from the family of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam and they’re poor, and there’s no war booty these days, so the scholars say that they may be given voluntary charity if it’s necessary.
Ibn Qudaamah said:
“It is permissible for the relatives of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam to take from voluntary charity.”
Imaam al-Shaafa’i said:
“Voluntary charity is not haraam for the family of Muhammad Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam; rather it is only obligatory zakaah that is forbidden for them.
Ibraaheem ibn Muhammad told us, from Ja’far [al-Saadiq] ibn Muhammad [al-Baaqir] from his father that he used to drink of the water provided to people in Makkah and Madeenah and I said to him:
“Are you drinking from the sadaqah (charity) when it is not permissible for you?
He said:
It is only the obligatory charity (i.e., zakaah) that is forbidden to us.”
And Imaam al-Shaafa’i alai said:
“Ali and Faatimah radhi Allaahu anhumaa gave charity to Bani Haashim and Banu’l-Muttalib, and this was voluntary charity, and the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam
accepted a gift from the charity that was given to Bareerah, because it was given voluntarily by Bareerah and not as zakaah.”
(Al-Umm (2/88)
And if there’s nothing else available and the person is in desperate need, the ulama say that they can even be given Zakaah if it comes to such dire situations.
Shaykh Ibn Taymiyah said:
“If Bani Haashim are deprived of one-fifth of the khums, it is permissible for them to receive zakaah....because this is a case of need and necessity.” (Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 5/374)
Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen said:
“If they are deprived or there is no khums as is the case nowadays, then they may be given zakaah funds to meet their needs if they are poor and they have no work. This is the view of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah and it is the correct view.”
(Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 6/257)
So it’s “allowed” to help them out with sadaqah (voluntary charity) or even Zakaah if they are from the lineage of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam.
Although the above is true, let me ask you; can anyone from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh etc, really TRULY claim that they’re from the family of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam?
Just because someone’s name is ‘Syed’ or ‘Saiyed’ does not mean that they’re from the lineage of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam even if they claim so.
They must have proper *proof* and *documentation* for such a claim if they’re to be accepted as being from the family of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam.
I personally know of people who’ve *“named themselves”* as “Syed” although their name was something else a few years back!
May Allaah guide us. Ameen.
And Allaah knows best.
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