Short answer
Yes. In the Hanafi school it is better to give zakat where you live, but sending it to another country is allowed, and better, when the people there are in greater need, such as in famine or war, or when they are your poor relatives. The Shafi'i and Hanbali schools are stricter about moving zakat away.
Moving zakat from your town to another place is makruh tanzihi (mildly disliked), unless it goes to needy relatives, to people in greater need, to students of sacred knowledge, or where it does more good for Muslims; then it is not disliked at all. In every case the zakat is valid.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- In the relied-upon view, zakat should not be moved out of the land where the wealth is while eligible people are found there.
- Hanbali
- Zakat should not be moved farther than the distance for shortening prayer while eligible people are found locally, though it still counts if it is moved.
Explanation
The Prophet ﷺ told Mu'adh that zakat in Yemen was to be taken from its rich and given back to its poor. The default, then, is that zakat serves the community where it is collected. The local poor see the wealth around them and have the first claim on it.
The Hanafi school does not make this a strict rule. Sending zakat elsewhere is valid, and it is not even disliked when there is a good reason:
- Your needy relatives live in another country.
- People elsewhere are in far greater need, as in famine, war or disaster zones.
- It supports poor students of sacred knowledge.
- It brings clearly more benefit to Muslims.
For Muslims in the US, the UK and the Gulf, both choices are sound. Many give part of their zakat to overseas crises and part to local families, who are easily overlooked: new Muslims cut off from family, refugees, and people in debt or out of work. A local masjid or zakat fund can often point you to them.
If you send zakat through an international charity, the usual checks apply (see paying zakat through a charity). Your zakat is paid when it reaches the recipient, so choose a charity that distributes quickly.
The evidence
Sahih al-Bukhari 1395
Sahih... تؤخذ من أغنيائهم وترد على فقرائهم ...
"It is taken from their rich and given back to their poor."
The basis for preferring the local poor, which the Hanafis treat as a preference rather than a condition.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Zakat, chapter on the recipients, on moving zakat to another town. Moving zakat is disliked except to relatives or to those in greater need.
- Radd al-Muhtar, Kitab al-Zakat, chapter on the recipients, on moving zakat. Adds students of knowledge and greater benefit as reasons.
- Minhaj al-Talibin, Kitab al-Zakat, chapter on distributing zakat. The Shafi'i view against moving zakat.
- Kashshaf al-Qina', Kitab al-Zakat, chapter on the recipients of zakat. The Hanbali limit of the distance for shortening prayer.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.