Can the employees of the charity accept the share of zakaah that is given to those who are employed to collect it?
Question

                The Jubayl Women’s Organization receives zakaah funds, to be given to those who are entitled to them, according to the eight categories that are mentioned in the Book of Allaah, and sometimes the organization is faced with financial difficulties. Is it permissible to give some of this zakaah to the employees who are in charge of financial matters and accounting, or to the employees in general? Are they included among those who are employed to collect it?.
Praise be to Allah.
    “Those who are employed to collect (it)” -- who are mentioned 
    in the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
    “As-Sadaqaat (here it means Zakaah) are only for the Fuqaraa’ (poor), and 
    Al‑Masaakeen (the poor) and those employed to collect (the funds); and to 
    attract 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 
    Mujaahidoon — those fighting in a holy battle), and for the wayfarer (a 
    traveller who is cut off from everything)” [al-Tawbah 9:60] -- are those 
    who are in charge of collecting it, counting it and distributing it to those 
    who are entitled to it, and are appointed to do so by the ruler. That 
    includes clerks, accountants and others. 

    With regard to people other than them, who collect and 
    distribute it, they are acting as deputies of those who give it, and they 
    are not included among those employed to collect zakaah. 

    Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in 
    al-Majmoo’ (6/165): Al-Shaafa’i and our companions (may Allaah have 
    mercy on them) said: If the one who distributes the zakaah is the giver or 
    his deputy, then the share of the worker employed to collect it is waived, 
    and it must be given to the seven remaining categories, if they exist, 
    otherwise it is to be given to those of them who do exist. End quote. 

    Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

    Those employed to collect it are the workers who are 
    appointed by the authorities to collect it and to travel to cities and oases 
    where the wealthy people are so that they can collect it from them. They are 
    its collectors and guardians and those who are in charge of it, and they may 
    be given from it according to their work and effort, as the ruler sees fit. 
    End quote. 

    Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz 
    (14/14). 

    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

    “Those employed to collect (it)” are those whom the ruler or 
    authorities appoint to collect the zakaah and distribute it among the poor. 
    They are the ones employed to collect it, i.e., they are the ones in charge 
    of it. 

    As for the one who is privately appointed on behalf of the 
    owner of wealth who says to him, “O So and so, take my zakaah and distribute 
    it to the poor,” he is not one of those employed to collect it, because he 
    is a delegate or proxy, so he is working with it but he is not employed to 
    collect it. End quote. 

    Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb, 
    206/29. 

    The Shaykh was asked: Can those who work for a charity be 
    given some of the zakaah funds? 

    He replied: If the workers have been appointed by the state.

    The questioner said: But in the charity organisation there is 
    an accountant whose salary is not sufficient for him.

    The Shaykh said: It can only be if he has been appointed by 
    the state, because those who are employed to collect it are those who are 
    working on behalf of the state and are appointed by the ruler. End quote. 

    Liqa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh, 
    141/13 

    If one of the charitable organisations volunteers and 
    appoints some of its workers to do this task, then these workers are either 
    volunteers who volunteered to do this task, seeking thereby the reward of 
    Allaah, or their wages are paid by this organisation that they belong to 
    from its own money or from general donations that they receive such as 
    voluntary charity and the like. They should not take anything from the 
    zakaah funds on the grounds that they are employed to collect it. 

    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was 
    asked: 

    We hope that you will answer these questions that have to do 
    with work and financial matters in a fund that offers loans to people who 
    want to get married. The fund receives some general zakaah money which is 
    not allocated for any specific purpose or group. Is it permissible to spend 
    some of this money on salaries for the employees who work for the fund and 
    some other important expenses which have to do with ensuring that the work 
    is done in an organized and uninterrupted fashion? 

    He replied: 

    I do not think that zakaah funds should be given to those who 
    are working in that area, because they do not come under the heading of 
    those who were employed to collect it. But with regard to charity and 
    donations that are not zakaah, there is nothing wrong (with using that to 
    pay their salaries). End quote. 

    Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 13/1577.