To whom is zakat paid?

The Qur'an specified the recipients of zakat in eight categories. This specification protects the worship from turning into an emotional distribution that does not observe the Shari'ah ruling.

The payer verifies eligibility as far as he is able, without spying or humiliation. It is permitted to seek help from a trusted body that knows the situations of the eligible.

A work may be useful and lawful, but it does not necessarily come under the recipients of zakat. So one must distinguish between zakat, general charity, endowments and donations.