If a person appoints another to pay his zakah to the poor, and the appointee takes it for himself and does not give it to the poor, claiming his own poverty, without the zakah payer’s knowledge, what is the ruling on this action, and does
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The questioner : One of my friends gave me a sum of five thousand riyals from his zakah and entrusted me to distribute it to the poor and the needy. At that time, I was in urgent need of this money, and I had a debt that I was unable to pay. I took this money and paid off my debt without his knowledge, and I told him that I had distributed the money to the poor. What is the ruling on my action as far as I am concerned? And does this count as him having paid his zakah or not?
The Shaykh : Your action is a serious error, for you lied to your friend who appointed you and claimed that you had paid it to the poor. It was obligatory for you, if you were in need of it and were among those eligible for zakah, to seek his permission before disposing of it, and to say to him: “Do you allow me to pay off my debt with it?” If he permits you to do so, there is no harm in it. However, since what happened did occur, you must return to your friend and tell him what you did, and ask his forgiveness. Then, if he permits you and approves of your action of spending this money on the debt you owe, it is valid, his obligation regarding his zakah is discharged, and you are cleared of the sin.
As for if he does not give you permission, it is obligatory for you to return the amount to him, and he will pay the zakah on his own behalf, because the zakah did not reach its proper destination.
The Shaykh : Your action is a serious error, for you lied to your friend who appointed you and claimed that you had paid it to the poor. It was obligatory for you, if you were in need of it and were among those eligible for zakah, to seek his permission before disposing of it, and to say to him: “Do you allow me to pay off my debt with it?” If he permits you to do so, there is no harm in it. However, since what happened did occur, you must return to your friend and tell him what you did, and ask his forgiveness. Then, if he permits you and approves of your action of spending this money on the debt you owe, it is valid, his obligation regarding his zakah is discharged, and you are cleared of the sin.
As for if he does not give you permission, it is obligatory for you to return the amount to him, and he will pay the zakah on his own behalf, because the zakah did not reach its proper destination.