Buying back one’s own zakat from the poor recipient

Question

A woman had not paid the zakat of her jewellery for many years. Now it became difficult for her to pay the zakat of the remaining years, so some of her well-wishers said to her: “Give them some of your jewellery with the intention of zakat.” He, having taken possession of it, sold it to that woman for half the price. In this case, will her zakat be paid or not?

Answer

For zakat it is necessary that the giver should have no personal benefit besides [discharging] the obligation. So if, on the condition that that person will sell this jewellery to this woman, he (?) gives zakat to this woman, then this condition is void, and fulfilling it is not binding upon the recipient.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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