Q: Can a poor, unfettered wakeel (deputised person) of zakat use the money for himself?
A: A wakeel cannot use the zakat on himself unless the person who appointed him to distribute the zakat clearly stated "do with it whatever you wish, or "utilize it as it you wish." This is actually what is meant by an "unfettered wakeel". If the giver of zakaat said to the wakeel: "distribute this zakat" or "give it out" then he cannot use it on himself. He may give the zakat to his poor minor children, his poor wife and poor baaligh children. However if he is rich then he can only give the zakat to his poor wife and poor baaligh children, not to his poor minor children. If the person told him to give the zakat to a particular person then he has to give it to that person specifically. (Raddul-Muhtaar, Ahsanul-Fataawa)
And Allah Knows Best
Moulana Naziem Moosagie
Checked and Approved: Mufti Siraj Desai
