Can a wife give zakat to her husband?

The Zainab hadith

Zainab, the wife of the Companion Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, was wealthier than her husband and supported him and some orphans in her care. After hearing the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ urge women to give charity, she sent a question: was it enough to give to her husband and the orphans? The Prophet replied that it was, and that she would get a double reward: "One for helping relatives, and the other for giving Zakat" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1466).

What scholars say

• Shafi'i, the Hanbali school (in one view) and Abu Hanifa's students Abu Yusuf and Muhammad: allowed, based on this hadith.
• Abu Hanifa: not allowed, because husband and wife share a household, so the money would partly come back to her. He understood the hadith as being about voluntary charity.

If you follow the Hanafi school, ask your local scholar. Otherwise, it's a widely accepted option. See Do I have to follow a madhab after becoming Muslim?

Husband to wife: no

Scholars agree that a husband can't give his zakat to his wife. Providing for her food, housing and clothing is already his duty, so zakat would just be paying himself. The same applies to giving zakat to your own parents or children. See Can I give zakat to my parents or siblings?

When it makes sense

• The husband is genuinely poor, unemployed or in debt.
• The wife has her own savings above the nisab.
• The money truly goes to his needs, like clearing a debt or covering expenses.

Handled with kindness, this can strengthen a marriage. A wife's wealth is her own, and her generosity toward her husband is rewarded twice. See Does a husband have to pay his wife's zakat?