Supporting one's children from money owed as zakat
Question
Please give me the legal opinion for the following:
I have a sum of money, and I have a son studying abroad. Is it permissible to support him from zakat owed on money, supporting him partially or in full?
Answer
It is legally established that it is not permissible to give zakat to one’s ascendants (e.g. parents, grandparents, and so on) or descendants (e.g. children, grandchildren, and so on), because one is obliged to support them unless they are in debt, in which case they are given zakat as debtors and not as being poor or needy.
Based on the above, the inquirer is not permitted to give obligatory zakat to his son unless he is in debt.
And God Most High knows best.