Zakat Fund being expanded to cover basic necessities of the poor

The Zakat Fund is being expanded to cover financial aid to help the poor and needy cover their basic necessities, says Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed.

Shaheem made the remarks at the opening of the International Zakat Conference (INZAC) 2025 on Saturday morning.

Addressing the conference, Shaheem said the Islamic Ministry is drafting a paper on ways to increase financial aid to the poor and needy through the Zakat Fund. He said that the paper will be presented at the cabinet for discussion once it’s done.

“We are compiling a vision for using the Zakat Fund to help the poor and the needy cover their various basic necessities,” he said.

Shaheem said that part of this involves utilizing the Zakat Fund to provide aid to those registered as poor for medical, educational, housing and other needs.

“Therefore, if we are able to develop it like this, then it will certainly create a decent society in the Maldives. At the same time, all categories entitled to zakat can be developed,” he said.

Shaheem said the government envisions making the Maldives among the leading countries in the work when it comes to affairs related to zakat.

He said that the zakat bill that is currently under review by the Parliament is a crucial step in achieving this goal.

The theme for INZAC 2025 is “zakat for social justice and digital inclusion: advancing social welfare through innovation.”

The conference is being attended institutions from the Maldives and Malaysia, with keynote speeches from experts in religion, Islamic finance, and economics.