Buying commodities with the money of Zakah before distributing it to the deserving recipients of Zakah

(Part No. 8; Page No. 319) Fatwa no. 17293 All praise is due to Allah Alone. May Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon the Last of all Prophets! To proceed,The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' have reviewed the letter sent to H.E. The Grand Mufty (Islamic scholar qualified to issue legal opinions) by H.E. The director of the cooperative office of Da`wah, guidance and foreign awareness in Al-Mujamma`ah. The letter is referred to the committee from the Secretariat General of the Council of Senior Scholars under no. (2598) in 23/6/1415 A.H. The Question he presented is as follows:As we receive sums of Zakah (obligatory charity) to deliver to the needy among Muslim laborers and those who have recently converted to Islam to make them assured of their religion, we notice that upon delivering the Zakah to these categories of people they buy some luxurious things, which may be forbidden. What is your opinion if we buy what they need of foodstuff and similar commodities and distribute it to them on an interim basis instead of paying them all of the Zakah in cash except when necessary? Please, provide us with your Fatwa (legal opinion issued by a qualified Muslim scholar) in this regard. May Allah reward you with the best!

After studying the question, the committee answered as follows:It is compulsory for whoever receives the Zakah from a person to distribute it on his behalf to give the same Zakah that he received to the legal channels specified as the recipients of Zakah. It is impermissible for him to delay it or to buy commodities with the money of Zakah and distribute them. (Part No. 8; Page No. 320) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.