Is Zakat permissible to be given to someone under one's care but not a legal dependent (e.g., an unrelated orphan)?

Primary text

The correct position is that it is permissible to give Zakat to someone residing in one's household for whom maintenance is not legally obligatory, such as an unrelated orphan. This is permissible because such a person falls under the defined categories eligible for Zakat, and there is no sound evidence (text, consensus, or valid analogy) to exclude them from the general permissibility. Even if the giver might derive some secondary benefit by having their expenses eased, this potential indirect benefit does not negate the obligation or render the distribution invalid, especially since the recipient may use the funds for needs the giver would not cover.