Is it permissible to disburse Zakat on wealth for charitable acts such as buying and distributing copies of the Qur’an, and is it permissible to give a portion of it to one's brother to distribute on behalf of the Zakat payer?

Zakat can only be disbursed to the eight categories specified in the Holy Quran. It is not permissible to use Zakat funds to purchase and distribute Qurans, even though this is an act of righteousness and an ongoing charity. Similarly, it is not permissible for a brother to give Zakat to his brother unless the latter is poor. Nor is it permissible for him to take it as an administrator of Zakat unless he has been appointed by the ruler.