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Fatwa CenterGiving Zakat to the poor as a gift
Question
Is it possible to give Zakaat al-Maal to a poor on 'Eed day as 'Eed gift so that the receiver does not get embarrassed? Or should he be told that it is from Zakaat?
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 is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
It is not an obligation to inform the poor when giving him Zakat money that it is Zakat. So, if informing him that it is Zakat money will embarrass him, then there is no harm in making him believe that it is a gift, as it is the intention of the person who is giving Zakat that should be considered. The Prophet 
said: "Indeed actions are judged according to their intentions." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Nonetheless, it should be noted that the person paying out the Zakat should avoid telling him that it is a gift, because if he does so he is lying. The Prophet said: "Beware of lying, for lying leads to vice (wickedness, evil-doing), and vice leads to Hellfire, and a man continues to tell lies till he is written before Allaah, as a liar." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Therefore, you may give him the Zakat money without telling him anything, or use Tawriyah (saying something which has more than one meaning and intending a meaning different from what the listener is likely to understand), when gifting him.
Allaah Knows best.
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