Is it permissible for the agent to take from the zakah entrusted to him?

Question : He says that he has a debt, and I am able to pay it off, but only after several years. Sometimes I am given zakah by people to distribute to the poor. Is it permissible for me to take from this zakah to pay off my debt?

Answer : The agent is not permitted to take anything from what he has been entrusted with, even if he is among those eligible for zakah. For example, if you give a man ten thousand riyals to distribute as zakah, and he needs one thousand riyals from it, is it permissible for him to take one thousand riyals for himself or not? It is not permissible unless he consults the principal. If he consults the principal and says, "You gave me ten thousand riyals, and I need one thousand riyals to pay off my debt, for example," and the principal gives him permission, then there is no harm. But without permission, it is not allowed. This is a rule you should know: anyone who is entrusted with the disposal of something is not allowed to dispose of it for himself. If you give a man a car to sell, is it permissible for him to buy it himself? No, it is not permissible. It is not permissible except with the permission of the principal.
The reason for this is that a person is suspected of perhaps favoring himself by buying it for ten thousand when it is worth more. Also, if the principal wanted to sell it to him, he would have sold it to him directly. So the rule, may Allah bless you, pay attention to it: anyone who is entrusted with the disposal of something does not have the right to dispose of it for himself except after consulting the principal.