Using Zakah money to finance the fund for supporting natural life

Fatwa no. 20349 All praise be to Allah Alone, and peace and blessings be upon the Last of the Prophets.The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' has read the question submitted to His Eminence, the Grand Mufty (Islamic scholar qualified to issue legal opinions) from his Royal Highness Prince Su`ud Al-Faysal, the managing director of the national establishment for protecting and developing natural life, letter no. 1/1283, dated 20/3/1419 A.H. Which was referred to the committee from the Secretariat General of the Council of Senior Scholars no. 2279, dated 26/3/1419 A.H.. His Highness asks:The efforts of the national establishment for protecting and developing natural life focus on protecting the natural beings created by Allah (Exalted and Glorified be He), so that they would play their role in the environmental system. Such creatures share the earth with man whom Allah (Exalted be He) has made a viceroy on the earth and to whom He has subjected many of (Part No. 8; Page No. 441) His creatures including various kinds of animals and plants. The government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques - May Allah protect him - has exerted great efforts to preserve several kinds of animals and plants and has rescued other endangered species. These efforts, with the praise and grace of Allah, succeeded. There is no doubt that the achievement of these aims requires great efforts and bearing huge burdens on the part of the establishment. The establishment is expected to carry out numerous projects requiring a lot of expenditure which is better not to delay. The establishment thinks of establishing a fund for supporting natural life, which gained the support and aid of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Excellency Crown Prince and His Excellency the second deputy. The establishment asks Your Eminence about the permissibility and possibility of using Zakah (obligatory charity) money to finance the fund for supporting natural life, aiming at the achievement of the aims of the government to preserve and develop the natural life in this beloved country.

After studying the question, the Fatwa committee replied that spending Zakah on what has been mentioned is not permissible, because it is not included in any of the eighth Zakah recipient categories, which Allah (Glorified be He) mentioned in His Saying: As-Sadaqât (here it means Zakât) are only for the Fuqarâ’ (poor), and the Masâkin (needy) and those employed to collect (the funds), and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islâm), and to free the captives, and for those in debt, and for Allâh’s Cause, and for the wayfarer (a traveller who is cut off from everything); a duty imposed by Allâh. And Allâh is All-Knower, All-Wise. (Part No. 8; Page No. 442) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.