Rupees twenty five crore collected as zakat across India, Rs2.5 crore in Mumbai; figure up by 25% in 10 years
This Ramzan is special for Sameena Khan, 59, resident of South Mumbai.
The widow who lost her husband 15 years ago and went through several hardships to raise her two children will be giving zakat for the first time in her life instead of receiving it.
Zakat is a religious obligation for adult Muslims possessing 75 grams of gold or its equivalent. It has to be a minimum 2.5% of an individual’s wealth and is usually donated during the holy month of Ramzan.
‘’I toiled day and night to ensure my children got the best education. This was also possible because of the generosity of some affluent families in my area,” Sameena told DNA.
“Now that my children are earning well, it is time to help others in need.” With poorer sections of the community getting financially empowered, the collection and distribution of zakat has shot up.Nearly Rs25 crore was distributed among needy Muslims across India this year.
The amount was Rs15 crore last year. “The figure has gone up by 25% in the last 10 years,” said Rahmatullah Abdul Ahad, founder of the All India Council of Muslim Economic Upliftment.
The Mumbai figure is Rs2.5 crore — up from Rs1.5 crore last year.
“Despite the huge numbers of donors and recipients, the community still remains among the weakest financially,” said social worker Sana Sayyed who runs a shelter for destitute women in Dongri. “The giving and receiving of zakat needs to evolve as a social security system instead of remaining just a religious obligation.”
Activists believe the onus must be on educated Muslims and religious leaders to propagate the benefits of a centralised zakat system that not only collects and distributes funds but also identifies the needy and empowers them financially by generating educational and employment opportunities.
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