Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
You can pay Zakah to hospitals and clinic to help sick people and save their life.
Answering your question, Sheikh Kifah Mustapha, the Imam and Director of The Prayer Center of Orland Park and representative for Dar El Fatwa of Lebanon in the US, states:
Zakah is the third pillar of Islam. Prophet Muhammad said: “Islam is raised on five (pillars), testifying (the fact) that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is His bondsman and messenger, and the establishment of prayer, payment of Zakah, Pilgrimage to the House (Kabah) and the fast of Ramadan.” (Muslim)
Zakah represents the social security system that takes care of the needy people in the community. Allah the Almighty stated the worthy recipients for such charitable offerings in the following verse:
{ Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [Zakah] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveler – an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.} (At-Tawbah 9:60)
As you can see from the words of the Quran, seven of the eight recipients are clear and one is general which is {for the cause of Allah.}
Many scholars interpreted the term {For the cause of Allah} as bringing support in military matters to defend Islam.
Many other scholars broadened the understanding of {For the cause of Allah} to include any matter that has the concept of bringing up the name of Allah through service not just military.
They based this interpretation on verses like: {Those who spend their wealth for the cause of Allah and then do not follow up what they have spent with reminders [of it] or [other] injury will have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.} (Al-Baqarah 2:262)
As you can see in this verse the term is more general in any type of service than just defending Islam on a military concept.
And verses like: {So do not obey the disbelievers and strive against them with the Quran a great striving.} (Al-Furqan 25:52)
In this verse, Allah used the effort in spreading the Quran as a form of Jihad.
Based on that, we can say since the preservation of the human life is sacred in Islam, giving Zakah money for hospitals, clinics, medical missions or any type of support to help heal human being is indeed at the core of the utilization of Zakah money.
Allah said: {Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.} (Al-Maidah 5:32)
Therefore, you can pay Zakah to hospitals and clinic to help sick people and save their life.
Almighty Allah knows best.