Question:

Who are the poor people according to Ahlul Bayt (a.s.)? Can we pay kaffarah to the non- Muslims who are poor?

Answer:

The definition of a poor person is whoever’s annual income is less than his annual expenses, that they need assistance for their living expenses.

The general charity can be given to any poor person irrespective of their creed (Muslim or not, Shi’a or not, Seyyed or not). But Zakat (which is an obligatory charity) whether Kaffarah, or Zakat of Fitr (which will be given at the end of the month of Ramadan), or general Zakat (such as the surplus of wheat, barely etc.) must be given only to a poor Shi’a who is not a Sayyed unless the giver is a Sayyed too.

Answered by: Sheikh Mansour Leghaei