MVR 8,000 per person as Zakat; USD 100,000 for Palestine

Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed states USD 100,000 from Maldives Zakat Fund will be utilized to fund food for Palestinians in besieged Gaza before distribution of Zakat al-Fitr is distributed in the Maldives.

The Minister, in a message to media outlets on Tuesday, detailed that humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza will be delivered through Qatar Red Crescent.

In this regard, he detailed that USD 100,000, allocated for Palestinians as aid from Zakat Fund under the first phase, will be transferred in two installments.

“This aid is being provided to fund food for Gazans. This is an initiative being carried out under the instruction of the honorable president,” he said.

The Minister noted that this will mark the first time aid is being provided to a foreign party via Zakat Fund.

The initiative to donate food for Palestinians in Gaza was announced last week.

In his message, Minister Shaheem also detailed that efforts have commenced to disperse MVR 8,000 as this year’s Zakat al-Fitr for Male’ residents on the register of low-income individuals.

He further detailed that Maldives has historically always distributed Zakat collected from each island, within the island itself. If there are no registered low-income individuals on the island, they will be used for distribution in the nearest island, he added.

As per the Minister, the rate of Zakat al-Fitr collected this year has increased.

“The distribution of Zakat al-Fitr at a rate of MVR 8,000 per person registered as a low-income individual in Male’ City has commenced. This money will be directly transferred to the person’s account,” he said.

Minister Shaheem children in Kudakudhinge Hiyaa and individuals in Home for People with Special Needs will receive Zakat al-Fitr in addition to the wives and children of individuals imprisoned for various reasons.