BENEFIT 476: Ruling on Giving Large Sums of Money to Disbelievers

His Eminence Shaykh Ṣāliḥ al-Fawzān (may Allāh preserve him) was asked: What is the ruling on donating large sums of money to disbelievers? Answer: If this is done for the benefit of the Muslims, then there is no objection — it may be done to ward off their harm. Even zakāh, as you've come across in Kitab Az-Zakāh, may be given to those whose hearts are inclined to Islam, as well as disbelievers from whom harm is feared. A disbeliever whose harm is feared may be given from the zakāh, which is an obligatory charity — so how much more acceptable it is to give him from wealth that is not zakāh, for the sake of protecting the Muslims from harm? Some ignorant people mistakenly consider this to be an act of allegiance (loyalty) to the disbelievers, but this is not loyalty — it is prudent diplomacy (mudārāh), carried out to avert their danger and harm from the Muslims. [Important Fatwas in Enlightening the Ummah, p. 73]