if he is enabled through receiving Zakat to spend, then it becomes mandatory for him. And if he is not incapable but becomes wealthy through it, the maintenance of the wealthy becomes mandatory for him; thus she benefits from it in both cases, so it is not permissible for her, just as if she paid it for the rent of a house, or the maintenance of her servants or her livestock. If it is said: Then the creditor must be considered, for it is permissible for one to pay his Zakat to his creditor, and the recipient is required to use it to settle his debt, thus the payer benefits from paying it to him. We reply: The distinction between the two is twofold. First, the right of the wife to maintenance is more confirmed than the right of the creditor, evidenced by the fact that a woman's maintenance is prioritized in the property of the bankrupt over the payment of his debt, and she possesses the right to take it from his property without his knowledge if he refuses to pay it. Second, a woman has broad access to her husband's wealth by custom, and the wealth of each of them is considered the wealth of the other. For this reason, Ibn Mas'ud said regarding a servant who stole a mirror belonging to his master's wife: "Your servant has stolen your own wealth," and he did not cut his hand. This is also reported from Umar. Likewise, the testimony of each of them is not accepted for the other, unlike a creditor with his debtor.

The second narration is that it is permissible for her to pay her Zakat to her husband. This is the school of al-Shafi'i, Ibn al-Mundhir, and a group of scholars. This is because Zaynab, the wife of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, said: "O Prophet of Allah, you have commanded today to give charity. I had some jewelry of mine and I wanted to give it as charity, but Ibn Mas'ud claimed that he and his children are the most deserving of those whom I give charity to." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Ibn Mas'ud has spoken the truth; your husband and your children are the most deserving of those to whom you give your charity." Reported by al-Bukhari (1). It is also reported that the wife of Abdullah asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) about the children of a brother of hers who were orphans under her care, and whether she should give them her Zakat. He said: "Yes" (2). Al-Jawzjani reported with his chain of narration from 'Ata', who said: A woman came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, I have taken a vow to give twenty dirhams in charity, and I have a poor husband; does it suffice me to give it to him? He said: "Yes, you have two rewards" (3).