Happy Ramadan to all Steemians!!!
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As the month of Ramadan has started. You find the mosques unusually full during the entire month.A month of worship where every deed is rewarded 70 times.The month of fasting, the month of festivity ,the month of worship, a month of food and most importantly the month to serve the poor and the truly needy...called the ZAKAT..
ZAKAT is an obligatory donation,for every muslim who is "sahib -e- nisaab"-means a person who is self -sufficient. It is the time of every year when the wealthiest muslims prefer to pay their annual zakat-zakat is calculated on the 2.5% share of ANNUAL SAVINGS.
In order to easily understand , a person whose annual saving equals not less than the value of 77grams GOLD or 520 grams of SILVER.It is mandate on a muslim ,who fulfills the criteria ,to pay 2.5% of the savings as ZAKAT to the poor and the needy.Least he will be held accountable by the almighty ALLAH.If they do not have money, they have to sell a part of their assets and pay it.
Since it is a compulsion why not give it to FUNDING EDUCATION. Since education is very important for the growth of society and the world. It has been observed that Illiteracy is stunningly rampant in the Muslim World. According to a statistics around 35%of the muslims around the world cannot read or write.There is very low percentage of females who opt for upper graduation among the muslims.
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So why not we give preference for self-employment and modern education of the needy.As the intention of ZAKAT always is to help in uplifting the poor.Why don't we Muslims begin to distribute ZAKAT by ourselves instead of donating it to an charitable organisation. But there are times where the wealth is not reaching the in truly needy, due to unorganized distribution or lethargy in identifying the needy.Being a muslim its a duty not just to donate zakat, but
we also need to make sure it reaches the truly needy, and provides solace to them.
For ages;Traditionally , Zakat was used to help people in the month of RAMADAN , by providing them food and clothing. Lets come out of the box and move a step forward, lets educate people so that the stand and run the race competing with the people around. I thought why not this time ,Select Beneficiaries after visiting local educational institutions and collecting details of the students who need financial assistance. Then after obtaining their willingness ,pay their educational expenses throughout the year.. This will surely be of great help in my view and will make the future of a child and in-turn his family inshaallah...
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Instead of giving it to the people who make a beeline only in this holy month ,to collect donations ..lets start it this way.....
Hope my idea reaches a few and may be implemented by at-least a few ....Thank you for reading have a BLESSED RAMADAN...