51,295 people benefitted last year from Zakat Project

As a part of its annual, seasonal project, the Dar Al Ber Society announced that it was opening its doors to people for paying Zakat Al Fitr towards achieving the legitimate, social, charitable and humanitarian objectives of their Islamic duty.

The society said this was in harmony with the state policy, its vision and the guidance of the leadership, while confirming that Zakat can also be paid through the ‘Dubai Now’ App.

The project covers the process of receiving Zakat and distributing it to beneficiaries who are entitled to it by the Sharia within the UAE and abroad. However, the ‘Daily Food Project’ provides the families with foodstuff according to the staple diet of each country, which includes rice, flour, corn, and millet, the society stated.

Mohammad Suhail Almuhairy, member of the Board of Directors and the head of the Social Services Sector in Dar Al Ber, confirmed that the society harnesses its crews and launches intensive efforts to accomplish the Zakat Al Fitr project perfectly, and according to the Sharia regulations, a day or two before Eid, to ensure delivery to the beneficiaries.

Almuhairy pointed out that the amount of Zakat Al Fitr is Dhs20 per person. While the Sharia has set the day of Eid just before the prayer of Eid as the best time to pay Zakat, it is legitimately permissible to pay it a day or two before Eid. Accordingly, the society and its counterparts can collect and distribute it early so that it can bring joy to the beneficiaries.

Dar Al Ber’s records indicate that the society’s distribution for Zakat Al Fitr within the state last year was through 12 locations in different emirates. The beneficiaries then were 9,070 persons at a total cost of Dhs800000. At the same time, the society distributed Zakat in 36 countries benefitting 42,225 persons at a cost of Dhs1,256,484 in cooperation with 48 accredited charitable societies and organisations under the supervision and follow-up of the UAE embassies.

Separately, UAE embassies and consulates are supervising Ramadan projects launched by Emirati charity associations and organisations in a number of countries.

Dr Ahmed Abdullah Al Matrooshi, UAE Ambassador to Romania, held a Ramadan Iftar attended by Romanian officials, ambassadors of Arab and Islamic countries in Bucharest, and heads of Islamic centres and associations.

The UAE Embassy in Ethiopia is continuing its Ramadan charity activities by distributing Eid clothes and Zakat Al Fitr. The gesture is funded by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment; the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation; the Emirates Red Crescent; Sharjah Charity International; Dar Al Ber Society; and the Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation.

Hassan Abdullah Al Adhab, UAE Ambassador to Turkmenistan, held a Ramadan Iftar yesterday at the embassy, which was attended by several senior officials.

Dr. Mohammed Ahmed bin Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Ambassador to Kazakhstan, participated in many Iftars held around the country, including the Iftar for People of Determination (people with disabilities) and their families. The UAE Embassy also supervised Ramadan Iftars in many parts of Kazakhstan.

Separately, the Refugee Zakat Fund launched by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, is now extending its support to cover displaced Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh, making beneficiaries in the South Asian country the first outside of the MENA region to receive Zakat assistance.

This endeavour further amplifies UNHCR’s message that the Muslim world has the potential to take Islamic philanthropy to the next level through the targeted use of obligatory alms to help some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are fully eligible to receive Zakat, being a displaced Muslim community living in poor conditions, and in dire need of assistance, and considered as stranded travellers waiting to go back to their homeland.

“Since the Fund’s launch in April 2019, we’ve received US$1 million from Zakat donors around the world, and are anticipating a surge during the blessed last ten days of Ramadan,” said Houssam Chahine, UNHCR’s Head of Private Sector Partnerships in the MENA region.

“We are proud to announce the extension of the Refugee Zakat Fund to the neediest refugee families in Bangladesh, who have risked their lives to reach safety, and are still in need for humanitarian support and long-term care to survive. Zakat assistance can help up to 120,000 households in need of basic amenities, including members of the local host community,” he added.

Chahine explained that Zakat obligations could also be fulfilled all year round, helping individuals, institutions align their philanthropic Zakat with statutory finance requirements according to their calendars.

Zakat is the obligatory alms given by Muslims who meet the necessary criteria of wealth each year, to eight categories of people in need. According to the ‘UNHCR Zakat Programme: 2019 Launch Report’, UNHCR has received US$ 14.4 million from 2016 to 2018, directly assisting 6,888 displaced families (34,440 individuals), primarily Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon.

The Rahma Cancer Patient Care Society has helped to treat 65 cancer patients since the start of 2019, while the total number of its beneficiaries over the last two years reaching 142 from 23 nationalities, at a cost of AED3.8 million.

Abdullah Salem Al Kaabi, Director-General of Rahma, said that the society has achieved major successes since its establishment in 2015 in raising the awareness of local community about cancer, as well as providing financial and moral support to patients and their families.

He added that the society has made donating easier, by adding more ways to donate and launching its new website that accepts e-donations by credit cards. It also launched an SMS donation system for customers of Etisalat and has allocated two bank accounts, one to receive donations and the other for Zakat money, Al Kaabi noted.

The society has a specialist medical committee to examine cases and make decisions regarding patient requests within 48 hours, he concluded.

WAM