Those in Whose Wealth Is a Known Right for the Asking and the Deprived
fiqh
Level: basic
zakah
fqh-057
وَٱلَّذِينَ فِيٓ أَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡ حَقٌّ مَّعۡلُومٌ
— المعارج 24
Verse: "And those in whose wealth is a known right for the asking and the deprived." (70:24-25) — "Known right" — not favor but defined right. Zakat is not optional charity but the poor person's right in the wealthy's wealth. "Asking" and "deprived" — both the one who asks and the self-sufficient one who doesn't ask deserve it.
Source: Ibn Kathir (8/225); Al-Qurtubi (18/285)
Question: What is the difference between "the asking" and "the deprived" in the verse?
Answer: "Asking": requests and shows need. "Deprived": needy but doesn't ask out of self-sufficiency. Both deserve the known right in the wealthy person's wealth.