The preferable charity is that which is more beneficial
12-5-2013 | IslamWeb
Question:
Is there a type of that is charity preferred over another? For example, is slaughtering a sacrificial animal more commendable than giving money to the poor? Moreover, if I hand over money to people running a mosque so that they undertake its distribution on my behalf, shall my reward be less than if I were to distribute it?
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhiwasallam, is His slave and messenger.
The preferable charity is that which is of greater benefit to the poor and needy. So there is a juristic principle stipulated by the scholars which says that deeds whose benefits extend to others are better than those with restricted usefulness. Az-Zarkashi 
said: Abu Is-haaq and the Imaam of the two Sacred Mosques, his father and others, may Allaah have mercy upom them, held the opinion that the collective duty is preferred over the individual duty, since it removes the blame from the Ummah.
Ibn Mufleh, a Hanbali scholar related: Harb asked Imaam Ahmad : “ What is preferable; performing a supererogatory Hajj or visit his relatives?” He replied: “If they are needy, visiting them is more desirable in my view.”
Hence, the recommended and preferable type of charity is that which brings greater benefits to the poor. If you observe that they are in more need for meat, then slaughtering a sacrificial animal and giving them from it is better and more desirable. Likewise, if you know that they are in more need of money, you are recommended to give them money as charity.
Entrusting money to people in charge of a mosque so that they distribute it does not undermine your reward, unless this is done for reputation and showing off. It may even be better since it conceals the identity of the donor. In fact, voluntary charity is better when given secretly rather than openly. The same holds true for all supererogatory acts of worship, as secrecy keeps one away from showing off. Allaah The Almighty says (what means): {If you disclose your charitable expenditures, they are good; but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, it is better for you} [Quran 2:271]. Corroborating this meaning is a Hadeeth in which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "The best prayer is the one performed at home, with the exception the obligatory prayer."[Muslim]
However, the scholars said: “If giving charity openly serves a Sharee‘ah approved objective and the donor is sure of the sincerity of his intention, then openness is preferable. For example, a person may want to set an example for others in giving and spending in charitable causes.
Allaah Knows best.