The legally relevant zakat intention belongs to the giver. The recipient need not necessarily be told that the payment is zakat, provided that recipient is eligible and the other conditions of payment are fulfilled.
The giver’s intention and the recipient’s knowledge are separate. Lack of disclosure does not cancel the intention, but it also cannot replace the eligibility requirement.
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The Book of Zakat: Obligation, Liability Conditions and Intention
The legally relevant zakat intention belongs to the giver. The recipient need not necessarily be told that the payment is zakat, provided that recipient is eligible and the other conditions of payment are fulfilled.
The giver’s intention and the recipient’s knowledge are separate. Lack of disclosure does not cancel the intention, but it also cannot replace the eligibility requirement.