Can zakaah be given to those who volunteer for jihad for the sake of Allaah?

Allaah has
explained the categories to whom zakaah may be given, as He says
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“As-Sadaqaat (here it means Zakaah) are only for the Fuqaraa’ (poor), and
Al‑Masaakeen (the poor) and those employed to collect (the funds); and to
attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam); and to
free the captives; and for those in debt; and for Allaah’s Cause (i.e. for
Mujaahidoon — those fighting in a holy battle), and for the wayfarer (a
traveller who is cut off from everything); a duty imposed by Allaah. And
Allaah is All-Knower, All-Wise”

[al-Tawbah 9:60]

This has
been discussed in the answer to question no.
6977, where we explained that
“for Allaah’s cause (fi sabeel-Allaah)” refers to jihad for the sake
of Allaah. Some scholars also added Hajj to that because of a hadeeth which
was narrated to that effect. 

Ibn Katheer
(may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

With regard
to [the phrase] “for Allaah’s cause (fi sabeel-Allaah)”, this includes the
warriors who do not have a regular salary from the state. According to Imam
Ahmad, al-Hasan and Ishaq, it also includes Hajj for the sake of Allaah,
because of the hadeeth. 

Tafseer
Ibn Katheer, 2/367 

In the
answer to question no. 7853 we
have explained that it is permissible to give zakaah to the people of
Chechnya. 

It should be
noted that the phrase “for Allaah’s cause (fi sabeel-Allaah)” is not general
in meaning and does not include all types of charity; rather it refers to
jihad for the sake of Allaah. 

Shaykh Ibn
‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:  

As for this
applying only to jihad for the sake of Allaah, there is no doubt concerning
that, unlike those who say that which is meant by “for Allaah’s cause (fi
sabeel-Allaah)” is all kinds of good and charitable deeds, According to this
interpretation, it would refer to everything that is done seeking the
Countenance of Allaah, such as building mosques, repairing roads, building
schools, printing books, and other deeds that are done to draw closer to
Allaah, because there is no limit to the righteous deeds that may be done
for the sake of Allaah. 

But this
view is weak, because if we were to interpret the verse in this manner,
there would be no point in the limitation (innama, translated as
“only”) mentioned in the verse, where Allaah says “As-Sadaqaat (here it
means Zakaah) are only for the Fuqaraa’ (poor),” [al-Tawbah 9:60]. This
has to do with the wording of the verse. 

From another
angle, if we were to regard the verse as general in meaning, applying it to
all deeds by means of which one may draw closer to Allaah, then those who
are definitely entitled to zakaah would be deprived of it, because if people
thought that they could use their zakaah to build mosques, they would hasten
to do that, because the benefit of that will remain until the Day of
Resurrection.

The correct
view is that it applies only to jihad for the sake of Allaah. 

With regard
to the author’s view that it applies only to the warriors, this is subject
to further discussion. 

The correct
view is that it includes the warriors and their weapons, and everything that
helps in jihad for the sake of Allaah; even the guides who show the way to
the battlefield are entitled to a share of zakaah, because Allaah says “for
Allaah’s cause (fi sabeel-Allaah)” and He did not say “for the mujaahideen”,
which indicates that what is meant is everything that has to do with jihad,
because that is part of jihad for the sake of Allaah. 

Is it
permissible to buy weapons with zakaah funds for jihad for the sake of
Allaah? 

According to
this author’s view, it is not permissible, rather it should be given to the
mujaahideen. 

But
according to the correct view, it is permissible to buy weapons with it to
be used for fighting for the sake of Allaah. 

Based on
this, the correct view is that the phrase “for Allaah’s cause (fi
sabeel-Allaah)” includes both the warriors and whatever they need of weapons
and other things. 

Al-Sharh
al-Mumti’, 6/241, 242 

And Allaah
knows best.