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Fatwa CenterGiving charity to sinners is permissible
Question
In below hadeeth which explains that our food/wealth are to be consumed by only believers. The Prophet said: “Do not be the friend of any except believers, and have only the pious eat your food.” [Abu Dawood, at-Tirmidhee and others]. I want clarification and the true understanding on my scenario. Sometimes a Muslim engaged in doing very strictly prohibited action(alcohol consumption/Zinaa/ Shirk etc...) which is a very strange thing as a Muslim, in this situation if that person is in need (money, food, shelter) . If by helping in his requirements and simultaneously starting islaah and showing the true Islamic way. Can i help these type of Muslim person in food/money/shelter... If yes then, till when can i help him.
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, is His slave and messenger.
Feeding the poor and needy and offering them financial help and the like are commendable acts that are encouraged by the Islamic Sharee'ah. These are rewardable acts in Islam even if those poor and needy are disobedient to Allaah or even disbelievers. Allaah, The Exalted, says (what means): {And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive.} [Quran 76:8] It is noteworthy that only the (combatant) disbelievers can be taken as captives.
However, with regards to the Hadeeth mentioned in the question, scholars held that it refers to inviting people over for a meal or the like and not giving food in charity for the poor and needy. As-Suyooti 
highlighted this in his book Mirqaat As-Su‘ood.
The author of Faydh Al-Qadeer said, “This does not mean that one should give charity only to the pious and deprive the impious because the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was reported to have offered food to disbelievers and he gave hundreds of camels to those whose hearts were inclined to Islam. It is permissible for a Muslim to offer food to disbelievers without mixing or socializing with them. The Hadeeth, as At-Teebi underlines the prohibition of unlawful earnings and consumption of whatever the pious people abstain from consuming. It means that the Muslim should keep the company of obedient believers and befriend the pious only.”
In brief, there is nothing wrong with offering charity to the poor and needy even if they are disobedient. In fact, charity in this case is even more rewardable if it leads to the strengthening of their faith, them being guided aright and them abandoning the evils they commit.
It should be noted that when it comes to charity, there are no criteria for considering a person an eligible beneficiary of charity; as whenever a person is in need of something, you may offer him help and charity if you can, especially if you believe that doing this is likely be a cause for his guidance to the straight path.
For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 133852.
Allaah Knows best.
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