Employees to administer Zakah have a share in it

20-12-2012 | IslamWeb

Question:

A man distributes the Zakaah money; is it permissible for him to take from it if he needs basic necessities such as food, medicine and clothes, given that his salary does not cover all his needs and he has to borrow money to complete his expenses for the rest of the month?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

The one who is appointed to distribute the objects of obligatory charity should be given charge for his job from the Zakah, being a part of the share of those employed to collect Zakah, as stated by the Noble Quran. It should be known to him that he is trusted with that which is entrusted to him. So, let him fear Allaah and take nothing thereof more than his charge. But if his needs exceed his charge, he should look for the responsible authority to give him what suffices him and satisfies his needs, and that would be from the share assigned to the poor and needy.

In brief, there is nothing to impede him from taking as an employee to administer Zakah, and as a poor person. But in both cases, the approval of the responsible authority is necessary.

Allaah Knows best.