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Fatwa CenterInvesting the Zakat money for the benefit of an Islamic institution
Question
assalamualykum: my ? is about zakaat.?recently an islamic institution collecting zakaat published the accounts on expenses made during the year.Among the expenses their were the purchase of spoons,forks,glasses,etc(saman) which the institution rent to members for wedding and other functions. my ? is whether it is permissible to purchase these items with zakaat money....
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
It is not permissible to invest the Zakat money in buying what you mentioned, because it is not permissible to spend or invest the Zakat money in any field on the general welfare of Muslims. Rather the Zakat money should be spent on the eligible recipients whom Allaah mentioned in the Quran. Allaah Says (what means): {As-Sadaqaat (Zakat) are only for the poor, and for the needy, and for those employed to collect (the funds); and for attracting the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam); and to free the captives; and for those in debt; and for Allaah's Cause (i.e. for those fighting in the holy wars), and for the wayfarer (a traveller who is cut off from everything); a duty imposed by Allaah. And Allaah is All-Knower, All-Wise.}[Quran 9:60]. Therefore, the majority of scholars 
agreed that it is not permissible to spend the Zakat money on building mosques, roads, or bridges, or on other things which are not mentioned in the verse, let alone buying spoons and glasses in order to rent them to benefit the institution; this is spending the Zakat money without the permission of the benefactors.
However, we draw your attention that the institution might have bought those very items with other than the Zakat money, and it could also be that the members of the institution bought them with the money (i.e. their salaries) which they themselves took from the Zakat money as they are eligible recipients because they are employed to collect Zakat.
Allaah Knows best.
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