Giving Zakat to Charitable Organizations-Part 2
In our country, there are dormitories, courses for learning the Qur’an, trusts, and charitable organizations which serve Islam and educate students who seek knowledge. An official from any of them should be appointed as the agent of a poor person. While a poor person appoints an official from any of these organizations to be his agent, he should say to him, “I appoint you to be my agent in order to receive zakat on my behalf and to give it wherever you wish.” Or he can say briefly, “I appoint you as my general agent.” Then the agent can spend the zakat he receives on the needs of students or organization. By doing so, one has both donated zakat to charity and has given zakat as prescribed by Islam.
Zakat is not given to organizations if one does not appoint an agent as explained above. In this case, it is not considered zakat, but sadaqah; one’s debt of zakat is not considered to have been paid.
Hadrat Aisha (Radiallahu anha) states: “The Messenger of Allah (Salallah Alayhi wasalam) came to my room. There was a pot with meat on the boil. I served him bread and
something from the stock of home. He said, “I see meat on the boil.” I answered, “It is the meat given to Barira, our servant, as charity. I did not serve it to you as you do not eat something sadaqah [zakat]”. Then he said, “This meat is sadaqah for Barira, but what she gives us is a gift for us.” The poor person can give the zakat he received to a rich person. What he gives is considered a gift. It is halal for the rich person to accept it because the poor one gives something in his possession. (Ashiat-ul-lama’at)
As is seen, after zakat is transferred to the possession of a poor person or the agent of a poor person, the poor person or his agent can give zakat even to people who are not eligible to receive zakat, e.g., the rich, his own parents, organizations etc. It is very wrong to say, “You cannot spend it anywhere you like.”
It is stated in a hadith-i sharif that angels curse those who issue a fatwa without knowledge.
May Allah protect us and grantbus the taufeeq to practice and take maximum benefit from the sacred month of Ramadaan.
Issued by: Jamiatul Ulama Western Cape
