A religious scholar’s salary and building an elementary religious school from zakat

Question

A certain gentleman has given 135 rupees of zakat; he is from Ghaziabad. He sent it on the grounds that, since people do not pay the respected scholar’s salary, one should manage with this. So may I take this money as salary, or spend this money and build an elementary religious school? Whatever the case, kindly grant an answer very soon.

Answer

It is not permissible to spend zakat money directly (without tamlik) on salaries or on construction. Give it to children who are eligible for zakat as a stipend.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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