Is it permissible for a woman who is raising orphans and relies on aid from charities and benevolent people to pay Zakat from the money she possesses? And is it permissible for a father and a brother to give their Zakat money to a brother who is studying and is in financial need?

Zakat is obligatory on wealth that reaches the nisab (minimum threshold) and on which a full lunar year has passed, whether it was earned, inherited, or received as a gift. If the wealth belongs to orphans, and each orphan’s share reaches the nisab, the majority of scholars hold that zakat is obligatory to pay, based on the generality of Allah’s statement: "Take, [O Muhammad], from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase, and invoke [Allah 's blessings] upon them. Indeed, your invocations are reassurance for them. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing."

It is not permissible for a father to pay his zakat to his son if the son's maintenance is obligatory upon him, unless it is not obligatory. As for a brother, he may pay his zakat to his brother if the latter is in need, does not have sufficient means, and their father is unable to support him. The brother would have a greater right to it than others, based on the hadith: "Charity given to a poor person is charity, and charity given to a relative is two: charity and strengthening of kinship ties."