How is zakah distributed to those who work on it in these days?

Al-Halabi : Regarding the categories of zakah mentioned in the verse , what is the status of this category in these days, particularly regarding the determination of its value and similar matters?

The Shaykh : Determining the value of what?

The questioner : I mean those who take the zakah, or those who take this category of zakah, namely "those who work on it."

The Shaykh : First, I say that this question is not applicable to all Arab countries, or at least to most of them, because these countries do not apply the system of zakah prescribed in the Book and the Sunnah.
Second, if there is a country that applies the system of zakah, then these workers on zakah are employees of the state. Just as there are specialized jobs in different fields in the states, such as agriculture, industry, and so on, there are also employees specialized in the state's zakah funds, which are collected through the known lawful methods in the Sunnah. If there is a Muslim country that applies the system of zakah, it is the one that employs them with limited salaries for all its employees. Likewise, it is the one that arranges specific salaries for the employees specialized in zakah, who are the workers on it. When I say this, I am aiming at a reality. I am informed that many people today employ themselves to collect zakah funds from the rich in order to distribute them to the poor, and then they employ themselves and assign themselves a salary from the same funds on the basis that they are among those who work on it. We say that this is an impermissible exploitation according to the Shari'ah and is not noble in conduct. This is because those who work on it are those employed by the state, not that you employ yourself. If it is known in the Shari'ah that it is not prescribed for a Muslim to seek a job in the state, then it is even more so that it is not permissible for him to appoint himself as an employee. This is not for the sake of drawing near to Allah, but for the sake of money and money only, as they say. I wanted to reach this unfortunate reality through the previous detail, which is the ruling of the Shari'ah: that many charitable associations that collect zakah funds from the rich, some of them appoint themselves as the head of the association and assign themselves the best salary. Then they employ individuals under their authority and assign them salaries. Then, we do not intervene in the internal matters, because Allah knows them best, and Allah knows best the intentions in the hearts. However, the outward appearance is the title of the inward reality. This is the answer to what you asked.