What is the ruling on working in zakah committees, and does the statement of Allah the Exalted, “and those who collect it,” apply to them?
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The questioner : ... regarding the zakah committees that have spread throughout the country, what rights do the workers in this matter have, and does the statement of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) apply to them?
The Shaykh : No, it does not apply, because these people appointed themselves. The verse is for the authorities who collect the funds and employ people from among the knowledgeable, so it is permissible for them to be given a share. As for people who appoint themselves, as some people do, for example, wanting to build a mosque, they collect funds and permit themselves to dispose of a large or small portion of this money, so he travels from here and there at the expense of this money. This is absolutely not permissible for him. Rather, he must collect the money for the account of the mosque. If he has the ability to volunteer his body and his money, he should do so; otherwise, our Lord does not burden him, and he should not give his own desires free rein. Likewise, here it is not permissible for these people who appointed themselves to collect zakah funds to appoint themselves and take money from the zakah on the pretext that they are workers on it, because this is the function of the state, like other functions...
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : We have the answer like this!
The questioner : ... the existing reality, the statement applies to the existing reality now.
The Shaykh : Of course, of course, and where did the doctor go, is he here or not...
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : I think, Doctor, that I have answered your question!
Another questioner: I had left...
And Those Who Collect It
والعاملين عليهاThe Shaykh : No, it does not apply, because these people appointed themselves. The verse is for the authorities who collect the funds and employ people from among the knowledgeable, so it is permissible for them to be given a share. As for people who appoint themselves, as some people do, for example, wanting to build a mosque, they collect funds and permit themselves to dispose of a large or small portion of this money, so he travels from here and there at the expense of this money. This is absolutely not permissible for him. Rather, he must collect the money for the account of the mosque. If he has the ability to volunteer his body and his money, he should do so; otherwise, our Lord does not burden him, and he should not give his own desires free rein. Likewise, here it is not permissible for these people who appointed themselves to collect zakah funds to appoint themselves and take money from the zakah on the pretext that they are workers on it, because this is the function of the state, like other functions...
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : We have the answer like this!
The questioner : ... the existing reality, the statement applies to the existing reality now.
The Shaykh : Of course, of course, and where did the doctor go, is he here or not...
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : I think, Doctor, that I have answered your question!
Another questioner: I had left...