A wealthy person using what was given as zakat

Question

If some item is given to a miskin (destitute person) as zakat, it follows from the texts of the jurists and from the hadith of Barira ﵂ that it is not permissible for a wealthy person (ghani) to use it. In that case, is the miskin obliged to tell his wealthy friend, “This is something received as zakat, do not use it”? If telling is necessary, then is the zakat-giver also obliged to tell the miskin that this is from the zakat fund, so that he takes care when lending it to a wealthy person (‘ariya)?

Answer

For the zakat of the wealthy person to be discharged, it is not a condition that the faqir or miskin know that it is zakat: [ar]ولا يشترط علم الفقير أنها زكاة على الأصح[/ar] “According to the soundest view, it is not a condition that the poor person know it to be zakat” (Maraqi al-Falah, p. 589).

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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