Are alms given during a year regarded as zakah? Is it necessary to make niyyah for zakah

Are donations and financial items given away in different ways during a year regarded as zakah? According to Hanafi madhhab, something given to a poor person without niyyah is regarded as zakah when he makes niyyah of zakah only if the poor still has it. Is it permissible to make niyyah while giving zakah?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Niyyah (intention) is necessary for zakah to be valid. What matters in niyyah is the heart; it is not necessary to say it by the tongue. When someone gives something to a poor person with the intention of zakah but says it is donation or sadaqah by the tongue, it is still zakah because what matters is the intention made through the heart. 

If something is given to a poor person without niyyah and if the poor person still has it, it is permissible to make niyyah as zakah. However, if he no longer has it, making niyyah for it as zakah is not enough.

If a person gives away all of the goods that he has without making niyyah as zakah, zakah is no longer necessary for them. If somebody donates some of his goods about which zakah is necessary to a poor person, the obligation of zakah for that amount is removed.

What is given away during a year can be given with the intention of zakah. However, those given without the intention of zakah are not regarded as zakah. Intention of zakah can be made before or while giving it or after giving it only if the poor person to whom it has been give it still has it.

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