If a poor person is able to do a job that is not befitting for him, can he take zakaah funds?
Question

                There are poor families who have grown-up children who are able to earn money, but they do not work on the grounds that this work is not befitting for them. Should they be given zakaah?.
Praise be to Allah.
      Firstly: 

    It is not permissible to give zakaah to a poor person who is 
    able to earn a living, because he is not regarded as poor so long as he is 
    able to earn a living by working. 

    It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Adiyy ibn al-Khayyaar 
    from two men who were Companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of 
    Allah be upon him) that they came to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and 
    peace of Allah be upon him) and asked him for charity. He looked at them and 
    saw that they were strong and said: “If you wish, I will give to you but 
    there is no share in it for one who is independent of means or one who is 
    strong and able to earn a living.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (1633); its isnaad 
    was classed as saheeh by al-Nawawi in Sharh al-Muhadhdhab (1/171) and 
    by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood (5/335). 

    It says in Fiqh al-‘Ibaadaat (1/295), which is a 
    Maaliki book: The one who is independent of means is the one who has what is 
    sufficient for one year, or he is able to earn a living, or he has a salary 
    that suffices him. End quote. 

    In al-Minhaaj ma‘a Mughni al-Muhtaaj (4/173) it says: 
    The poor man (faqeer) is the one who has no wealth and no means of earning a 
    living and meeting his needs. End quote. 

    Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Whoever has 
    a means of earning a living that will make him and his dependents, if he has 
    dependents, independent of means and he has enough to suffice him every day, 
    is “rich” and has no right to zakaah. This is the view of Ibn ‘Umar and 
    al-Shaafa‘i … End quote from al-Mugni, 6/324 

    But it is stipulated that the work by which he earns a living 
    should be befitting for him; if it is not befitting for him, such as if he 
    is one of the prominent people then he becomes poor, he is not obliged to do 
    work that is not befitting for him, so he should not be obliged to work in a 
    shop and the like. It is permissible to give zakaah to one who is like this. 
     

    Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    Al-Ghazaali was asked about a strong man from a prominent 
    family who usually do not earn a living through physical work; can he take 
    zakaah from the share of the poor and needy? 

    He said: Yes, this is in accordance with what is mentioned 
    above, that what matters is a profession that is befitting for him. End 
    quote from Sharh al-Muhadhdhab, 6/175 

    In al-Minhaaj it says: The faqeer (poor person) is the 
    one who has no wealth and cannot earn enough to meet his needs. And he is 
    still regarded as poor even if he can earn a living in something that is not 
    befitting for him. End quote.  

    The commentator al-Sharahbeeni said in Mughni al-Muhtaaj, 
    4/174 

    i.e., it is not befitting for him with regard to his status 
    and dignity, because it undermines his dignity, so it is as if (that job) 
    does not exist. The word ‘earning” in the hadeeth is to be interpreted as 
    referring to permissible and suitable means of earning. End quote. 

    To sum up: with regard to people who do not work on the 
    grounds that the work is not befitting for them, if the work is indeed not 
    befitting to them, they may take zakaah. But if the work is befitting and 
    others like them do this kind of work without any reluctance, it is not 
    permissible to give them zakaah; rather they should be advised to work. 

    And Allah knows best.