Q: Could Moulana please assist with the following regarding Islamic organizations collecting zakaat:
1. Are we (the committee) the wakeels of the donor or the recipient?
2. If we become the wakeels of the recipients, will the zakaat of the donors be discharged as soon as they hand over to any member of the committee?
3. In the case of na baaligh children who are a legible to receive zakaat, who is their wakeel/guardian? Can it be a member of the committee since these kids generally have non Muslim parents. (They attend madrasah in the locations but most of them are the only Muslims in their homes).
4. Any other advice or guidance will be much appreciated.
A:
1. The committee will be the wakeel of the donors, except in the case where any recipient has appointed them to collect zakaat on his behalf. In this case, the committee will be the wakeel of the recipient.
2. No, unless a recipient has appointed them to accept zakaat on his behalf. In this case, through the committee or organisation merely receiving the zakaat, the zakaat will be discharged. However, the organisation's receiving zakaat on behalf of the recipient will only be until the wealth collected reaches the nisaab amount. Once the nisaab amount is reached, the organisation cannot receive any more zakaat on behalf of the recipient as he has now become the owner of nisaab and hence cannot be given zakaat.
3. If the non-baaligh children who do not possess nisaab have reached the age of understanding and zakaat is given to them, the zakaat will be discharged. Similarly, it is permissible for them to appoint someone (e.g. the committee member) to collect zakaat on their behalf.
4. Organisations and committees which collect zakaat and distribute it to the recipients are involved in a great service of Deen. However, this service will only be appreciated and reap great rewards provided it is fulfilled according to the laws of Shari'ah. Hence, the laws of Shari'ah in regard to this department of Deen should be taught and explained to those involved in this department. Some of the mistakes that are found today in collecting and discharging the zakaat are as follows:
a) Many organisations delay in discharging the zakaat of those contributing zakaat until many years pass. The Shar'ee law is that after zakaat becomes compulsory, the zakaat should be discharged in the following year before the next year's zakaat becomes compulsory.
b) Sometimes, certain people involved in distributing the zakaat abuse this position and extract personal favors from the recipients whom they assist with zakaat wealth or zakaat hampers.
c) At times, those involved in distributing the zakaat go to the homes of the recipients and freely intermingle with the womenfolk or remain in seclusion with them. Not observing purdah with the womenfolk and speaking to them in a casual manner is not permissible. Furthermore, this conduct leads to many problems and eventually becomes the cause of many fitnahs.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
ولو خلط زكاة موكليه ضمن وكان متبرعا إلا إذا وكله الفقراء .(الدر المختار 2/269)
(قوله إذا وكله الفقراء) لأنه كلما قبض شيئا ملكوه وصار خالطا مالهم بعضه ببعض ووقع زكاة عن الدافع، لكن بشرط أن لا يبلغ المال الذي بيد الوكيل نصابا. فلو بلغه وعلم به الدافع لم يجزه إذا كان الآخذ وكيلا عن الفقير كما في البحر عن الظهيرية.
قلت: وهذا إذا كان الفقير واحدا، فلو كانوا متعددين لا بد أن يبلغ لكل واحد نصابا لأن ما في يد الوكيل مشترك بينهم، فإذا كانوا ثلاثة، وما في يد الوكيل بلغ نصابين لم يصيروا أغنياء فتجزي الزكاة عن الدفع بعده إلى أن يبلغ ثلاثة أنصباء إلا إذا كان وكيلا عن كل واحد بانفراده، فحينئذ يعتبر لكل واحد نصابه على حدة، وليس له الخلط بلا إذنهم؛ فلو خلط أجزأ عن الدافعين وضمن للموكلين. وأما إذا لم يكن الآخذ وكيلا عنهم فتجزي، وإن بلغ المقبوض نصبا كثيرة لأنهم لم يملكوا شيئا مما في يده.(رد المحتار 2/269)
(فلا يصح توكيل مجنون وصبي لا يعقل مطلقا وصبي يعقل بتصرف) ضار (نحو طلاق وعتاق وهبة وصدقة، وصح بما ينفعه) بلا إذن وليه (كقبول هبة، و) صح (بما تردد بين ضرر ونفع كبيع وإجارة إن مأذونا وإلا توقف على إجازة وليه) كما لو باشره بنفسه.(الدر المختار 5/511)
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