The previous Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia before Ash-Shaykh Bin Baaz, Muhammad bin Ibraheem Aali shaykh, may Allah have mercy upon them both, was asked is it permissible to place [the money] of Zakaah in charity [donation] boxes?

Answer:

All praise due to Allah, what is obvious in this affair is [absolute] prohibition to place Zakaat in donation boxes because it is a must that one directly gives it [to one of the eight categories above] in order that he frees his responsibility [of paying Zakaat]. This [occurs] by the person [of the money of Zakaat] giving it [directly to one of the eight categories above] or he [appointing] his trustee to give it [Zakaat on his behalf] with the intention of giving Zakaat to those who deserve it

[Fatawaa wa Rasaa’il for Ash-Shaykh Muhammad bin Ibraheem Aalishaykh, volume two, page 32, of the second print]

Also the Lajnatud Daa’imah gave the following fatwa below:

“We do not see the permissibility to put Zakaat in the likes of this donation box due to it having been stated in the Quraan who to distribute Zakaat to, those who will benefit from it in a manner one is secure and confident about.”

[Fatwa # 2571]

Translated by

AbdulFattaah Bin Uthman
Abu Fajr