May the agent for paying zakat keep the zakat himself?

Question

Someone gives zakat or sadaqa to another person so that he may give it wherever there is a proper recipient and to whomever he sees to be deserving. In fact, the person to whom it is given for payment is himself deserving, but the giver does not know that he is deserving and an eligible recipient. May this deserving person take the zakat money himself or not, or should he only distribute it among other deserving people?

Answer

According to Imam Abu Hanifa ﵀, in this case it is not correct for him to keep [the zakat] himself: [ar]لو قال لرجل: ادفع زكاتي إلى من شئت، أو أعطها من شئت، فدفعها لنفسه لم يجز، وفي جوامع الفقه جعله قول أبي حنيفة ﵀، وقال عند أبي يوسف ﵀ يجوز، ولو قال: ضعها حيث شئت، جاز وضعها في نفسه[/ar] “If he said to a man, ‘Hand over my zakat to whomever you wish’ or ‘Give it to whomever you…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.