Muslims who give zakat (tithe) directly to beneficiaries are not only sinning, but their zakat is not considered valid (tak sah) , said former Terengganu mufti Ismail Yahya.

This comes after Federal Territories Zakat Council chief Che Mat Che Ali yesterday said those bypassing official agencies to pay their zakat are sinful, but the zakat is valid (sah) in Islam.

"According to Islamic jurisprudence, zakat collection agencies are appointed to collect zakat.

"So the government can determine that it is sinful and invalid to bypass the Islamic affairs department.

"It is not only sinful, it is invalid," the former Syariah Court chief judge stressed, when contacted.

Che Mat yesterday argued that bypassing the zakat collection agencies is sinful because the Quran calls on Muslims to be loyal to Allah, the prophet and rulers.

He said giving zakat directly to beneficiaires can mean unfair distribution of the zakat.

However, Che Mat said this does not mean the zakat is invalid.

Sinful to oppose leaders

Ismail said paying zakat through an appointed agency is an order.

Those going against it can be deemed to be opposing ulil amri, or leaders whom one must be loyal to, he said.

"The fatwa instructs that (all payments must be made through the government), and opposing the ulil amri is a sin," he said.

He added that those who want to give aid to the needy can do so, but it will not be considered zakat.

This is because zakat can only be paid according to procedures through appointed agencies, he said.

Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin once criticised the inefficient distribution of zakat.

Asri was then responding to claims that Christian missionaries were preaching to the Muslim poor while providing them with aid.

Muslims must pay zakat equivalent to 2.5 percent of their wealth annually, to aid eight groups of benificiaries, including the poor, the destitute and new converts to Islam.

The FT zakat agency collected RM484.63 million in 2013, up 20 percent compared to the year before.

The 2014 report is unavailable on its website.