Question: Money is raised to help Bosnian people. We do not know whether relief supplies will reach target groups. If they do not reach them, will the donors be held responsible?
ANSWER
If the ones collecting money are Muslim, it is necessary to grant aid. If there is a problem or breach of trust in the transportation of relief supplies, the sin rests with them. We should help Muslims wherever they are, whether in America or Africa. All Muslims are like the members of the same family, even like a single body. It is stated in a hadith-i sharif:

(Believers are like one body in their mutual love and mercy. When one part of a body is in bad health, the rest of the entire body joins it in restlessness and lack of sleep and is busy with its treatment. Likewise, Muslims should run to helping each other.) [Bukhari]

For this reason, troubles of a Muslim living in the other end of the world are the troubles of ours. It is necessary to help him/her out. It is said in hadith-i sharifs:

(He who does not care about the troubles of Muslims is not of them.) [Hakim]

Helping Muslims with food, clothes, and other needs is both a duty and a rewarding (thawab) act. It is stated in hadith-i sharifs:

(Allahu ta’ala forgives him who relieves a Muslim of his burden or who helps an oppressed person.) [Bukhari]

(He who meets a need of his fellow Muslim earns thawab as if he worshiped Allahu ta’ala all his life.) [Bukhari]

(Whoever protects a Believer from the torment of a hypocrite, Allahu ta’ala will protect him from the torment of hellfire.) [Abu Dawud]

(The best deed in the sight of Allah is to please a Believer, to relieve him of his burden, to pay off his debts, or to satisfy his hunger.) [Tabarani]

(Allahu ta’ala protects from hellfire the Muslim who defends his fellow Muslim.) [Tabarani]

(Allahu ta’ala makes despicable both in the world and in the hereafter him who does not defend his fellow Muslim, though he is able to defend him, while bad things are said about him.) [Ibni Abid-dunya]

(The best of humans is the one who does good to them.) [Imam-i Ahmad]

(The good friend is he who does good to his friend. The good neighbor is he who does good to his neighbor.) [Tirmidhi]

(The best of you is the one from whom good is always expected and from whom no harm is feared.) [Tirmidhi]

(He who causes good to be done is considered as if he himself did it. Allahu ta’ala likes him who helps someone who is in trouble and is desperate.) [Ibn Najjar]

(Do good to both someone who is worthy of it and someone who is not worthy of it. If you do good to someone who is worthy of it, then it is fine. If he is not worthy of it, then you are included in those who are people of doing good.) [Ibn Najjar]

The Qur'an al-karim says (what means):
(You cannot attain to goodness unless you spend [infaq] out of what you love. Whatever you spend [infaq], Allahu ta'ala knows it well and gives its return.) [Al-i Imran 92]

Some said that what was meant by “infaq” was zakat. They said, “You cannot attain happiness, cannot enter Paradise, and cannot purify yourself from miserliness and the love of wealth, unless you give zakat out of the wealth you like.” Allahu ta’ala knows everything that is given away. He gives the donor his/her due in the world, and He increases his thawab and upgrades his/her status in the hereafter.

Hadrat Umar bin Abdulaziz used to buy loads of candies and give them away as charity. He was asked, “Why do you give away candies instead of money?" He answered, “These candies are more valuable for me than money. I like candies much.”

When the verse above was revealed, Hadrat 'Umar emancipated his best jariya. His son Abdullah, too, emancipated his best jariya. He was asked, “Why did you emancipate your dear jariya?” He answered, “I emancipated her when I heard this verse. If one does not give away what one likes, then one cannot obtain what one likes.”

Zubayda, wife of Harun ar-Raşid, had a Mushaf written by spending thirty thousand gold coins. When it was completed and delivered to her, she read this verse. Then she closed it and said, "Give it to a pious Muslim as a gift. Now there is nothing more beloved to me than this Mushaf.”

When this verse was revealed, Hadrat Abu Talha gave away a garden which he liked most, in the way of Allah. Hadrad Zayd bin Harisa gave away his horse, Sayl.

Hadrat Hasan-i Basri said:
“If one gives even a single date that one likes as charity to gain the pleasure of Allah, one will attain to goodness mentioned in this verse.” (Tibyan)