Categories of the recipients of the forms of charity other than Zakah

Fatwa no. 17897 All Praise is due to Allah. May Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon the Last Prophet! To proceed,The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' has reviewed what was sent to the Grand Mufty (Islamic scholar qualified to issue legal opinions) from the Director of Social Welfare Home for Males in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah via the Presidency of courts in there in the letter numbered (567), dated 4/4/1416 A.H., which was referred (Part No. 8; Page No. 287) from the committee to the Secretariat General of the Council of Senior Scholars under number (1746) dated 11/4/1416 A.H. The persons request a Fatwa (legal opinion issued by a qualified Muslim scholar) on the following issue:We would like to inform you that we have a sum of money, which is (444.559) Riyals registered in the name of the Social Welfare Home for Males in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah. It is the total sum of the donations granted to the Social Welfare Home when it was a non-governmental organization.The officials of the Ministry decided to avail of this sum and formed a committee for this purpose. The committee now wants to know the ruling on the legal channels that can take advantage of this money. For example, constructing buildings, or maintaining the utilities of the house, or building playgrounds, etc.Please, give us the Shar`y (Islamically lawful) ruling on this question so that we may act accordingly. Kindly accept our sincere greetings.

After reviewing the case in question, the committee answered that if the case is as mentioned and the sum of donations in question is not given as Zakah (obligatory charity), those in charge of the Social Welfare Home may spend it in the interests of the Social Welfare Home such as establishing or maintaining buildings and similar expenditures for the benefit of orphans, unless the donator specifies the way of spending, then his condition should be fulfilled. As for the money given as Zakah, it should be given to the poor orphans living in the Social Welfare Home. (Part No. 8; Page No. 288) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.