السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
1. Of the eight categories outlined in the Qurʾān as eligible to receive zakāh, the first two are those whose eligibility is underscored by the fact that their income is less than their reasonable expenses. These two are the faqīr and the miskīn.
2. The faqīr is defined as someone who—
2.1 either has no income, property whatsoever or ability to earn whatsoever,
2.2 or whose income, property or earnings fall drastically beneath his need;
3. The miskīn is defined as a person who does own property, have an income, or does earn, but his income or earnings are less than his need, though not drastically so.
4. When a student devotes himself to full-time pursuit of knowledge those acquisition is considered a farḍ kifāyah, and his studies come in the way of him going out to earn a living for himself, while at the same time he does not have any other source of income, or he has an income that does not suffice for his need, he may be legitimately be included in one of the two categories outlined above. (See al-Majmūʿ Sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab vol. 6 p. 171)
5. The memorization of the Qurʾān is such a farḍ kifāyah.
6. As such, a student whose memorization of the Qurʾān comes in the way of him going out to earn, while he does not have any other source of property or income to sufficiently cover his needs, would be eligible to receive zakāh.
والله تعالى أعلم
And Allah knows best.
(Issued in January 2017)
