I have a son who works as a teacher and lives independently from me. He supports a small child and his income does not suffice him. He possesses an apartment which has accumulated unpaid installments, and, thus, is threatened to be evicted. Is it permissible for me to pay them on his behalf from the money of Zakaah that is due on me?

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.

If your son is as you have mentioned, then he is one of the Zakah recipients. It is permissible for you to pay on his behalf the price of the apartment from the money of your Zakah, because he is in debt, and the one in debt is one of the eight Zakah recipients, as stated by Allaah The Almighty in His Saying (which means): {Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [Zakah] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allaah and for the [stranded] traveler - an obligation [imposed] by Allaah.} [Quran 9:60]

Allaah Knows best.