Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man from Banu Tamim came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and asked: O Messenger of Allah! If I pay zakat to your appointed representative, will I be absolved before Allah and His Messenger? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Yes, when you pay zakat to my representative, your responsibility will be fulfilled and you will receive its reward. However, whoever makes any alteration (and misappropriates it), he will be sinful.

Narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Soon such rulers will be imposed over you who will give preference to others over you. The Companions asked: O Messenger of Allah! What should a person among us do if he finds such a situation? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Fulfill the right that is due from you and ask Allah for your own right.

… In another narration: Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to us: After me, you will see that others will be given preference over you and you will also see evil matters. We said: In such circumstances, what do you advise us to do? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Fulfill their (the rulers’) rights and ask Allah for your own right.