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
