Zakat Fund to get over Dh30m in Ramadan

Abu Dhabi: More than Dh30 million will be collected as zakat this Ramadan by the organisation responsible for distributing and creating awareness about the alms tax in Islam, said an executive in the capital.

These funds, along with the amount collected during the rest of the year, will assist a total of 6,000 needy families in the country with their expenses, Abdullah Bin Aqeeda Al Muhairi, secretary general of the Zakat Fund, told Gulf News in an interview.

"The number of people paying zakat on a yearly basis is definitely on the increase, and this is a positive sign. Since the inception of the Zakat Fund in 2003, we have been happy to note the increase in the awareness among both individuals and corporations about the need to pay zakat," Al Muhairi said.

Paying the alms tax or zakat is the third pillar of Islam, and it is calculated as 2.5 per cent of all financial assets, as well as differing rates on other assets like gold, property and livestock.

When asked about how the organisation determines people's neediness, Al Muhairi said people could register to be included on the Zakat Fund database. Social workers then develop a case study to determine if they were eligible for zakat assistance, he explained.

"Currently, we have a programme that helps underprivileged families pay for their basic needs of food and clothing and a project that reaches out to families who are too shy to ask for help. We also assist prisoners to pay off their debts and secure their freedom, and support their families financially and materially," said Al Muhairi.

He also made special mention of the Iqra'a project, which aims to support the education of the less privileged.

"As part of Iqra'a, the Zakat Fund recently granted a total of Dh14 million in scholarships to 59 needy university students. This means that the students will receive a sum of Dh50,000 a year for four or five years," Al Muhairi clarified.

He said that the organisation had initially been expecting to award only 50 students with the funds.

"Due to a 20 per cent rise in the number of applications received by Zakat Fund, the authority decided to increase the total number of scholarships to 59. And we hope to offer double that number in future as long as we still receive more zakat money and cash assistance from Muslims and philanthropists," he said.