Paying Zakah by a chieftain on behalf of his people then settling it with them

Paying Zakah by a chieftain on behalf of his people then settling it with them The third question of Fatwa no. 580 Praise be to Allah Alone; to commence: The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' has perused the request for Fatwa sent by his Eminence, the judge of Badr Al-Janoub Court in which the third question says:It is a common practice that the chieftain goes to the collectors of Zakah and pays Zakah on behalf of the people of his tribe, for he knows the tribe very well and knows what cattle his people own. The chieftain pays Zakah to the collector of Zakah, then settles it with his people. His Eminence asks about the ruling on doing this?

(Part No. 9; Page No. 415) A: There is no doubt that Zakah is one of the pillars of Islam and an act of worship. Also it is well known that the intention is a condition for the validity of offering an act of worship. Consequently, this chieftain should not act on behalf of his tribe men unless it is they who have entrusted him to do so. It should also be noted that the collectors of Zakah should act upon the instructions they receive from senior officials.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.