by Abu Asma

Zakat is not a mere ritual, but anƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬indispensableƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬competentƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬of IslamƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬whichƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬Abubakr (Ral) fought against who rejected it and has been a responsibility of the Islamic State to collect from the right people and distribute it to the right people. In Sri Lanka this is now taken up by some mosques Alhamdulillah. However there seems ample cases ofƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬corruption, favoritism, misuse of funds collected in the mosques in the name of Islam. The main reason is even the people who give Zakat seldom question ƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬the mosqueƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬authoritiesƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬/ trustees of how their Zakat was used and what impact it has made in the people whoƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬receivedƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬it.

It is interesting to note that some mosques who have collected Zakat for 15 years cannot produce 1ƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬beneficiaryƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬who has come out of poverty , let alone that he is Zakat payee (I suggest you call and ask few mosquesƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬immediately). There is no records of how much Zakat was collected ( the figure varies within the board

members) and to whom it was distributed.ƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬

Another example is that land is brought through Zakat money to distribute among poor families in a mosque in the hill country. Alhamdulillah its a good decision but until today (after 5 years) the poor are notƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬resettledƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬because non of the poor are willing to stay there as its a remotest part of the village with no access or facilities. on an inside note, the land belong to a close relative of the head of the Zakat committee, who was trying to sell this land for the land 10 years and the Zakat money came as a blessing for him to sell it in a much higher price than he expected!!

There are hundreds of incidents such as these done in the disguise of Islam. it is out duty as this Ummah not only ƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬to enjoin what is good BUT ALSO TO FORBID WHAT IS EVIL. Umar (Ral) was questioned by a women in regards to dowry and he changed his opinion and I am sure there are sincere souls among the trustees who will like to be more accountable andƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬transparent to the public about the funds they collect. This is a call to the Silent majority to raiseƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬theirƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬voice againstƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬corruption and ask mosques to be accountable andƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬transparentƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬in collecting and distributing Zakat.

Let me also ask ƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬the ulema, ƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬intellectuals, activists ƒÆ’‚£ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¡‚¬to device a mechanism to monitor and evaluate the zakat funds of mosques and ensure its not a mere ritual but a dynamic act of worship in a complete way of life ( deen) setting an example other communities as well.