Zakat donations to help jobless set up businesses

Hyderabad: As the holy month of Ramzan has begun, the civil society groups have called upon the affluent to ensure that their Zakat (donation) reaches the destitute and the needy.

A city-based voluntary group, Direct Zakat Movement, has started creating awareness about the eligibility criteria based on priority highlighted in the Islamic teachings. This year, the organisation has taken up an initiative, 'Mission 1000', where it plans to help the unemployed set up a small business through Zakat donations.

Zakat is a religious obligation in which all Muslims have to give away money to the poor, which is believed to purify their earnings, during the month of holy Ramzan. It is considered to be one of the five pillars of Islam. Zakat is calculated on annual savings, with at least 2.5 per cent to be distributed among the underprivileged sections.

Members of the voluntary groups have been requesting the Zakat payers to stick to top priorities of donating their hard-earned money to destitute or closest relatives of their own who are fighting poverty, with the sole purpose of alleviation and make them economically self-sustained.

"During the last two years of Covid-imposed lockdowns, several families were severely affected and most of them turned jobless. With this, the Zakat Movement started 'Mission 1,000' in which we take responsibility to help the unemployed, aged between 20 and 40 years of age, secure employment," said Ilyas Shamsi, member, Direct Zakat Movement, working since 2015.

"After identifying unemployed persons, we will provide their information to Zakat payers and ask them to investigate and pay Zakat between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh to set up a business. The organisation will help in providing business, purchasing machinery, licence and will also supervise the business," he added.

Likewise, there are several organisations who are reaching out to the needy. Youngsters have started a helpline 'Zakat Connect' which is to help people in easily reaching out to the needy.

"We are identifying slums where the underprivileged stay, and taking up distribution there. We give the amount directly to the needy," said Habeeb, a member of Zakat Connect.

According to a survey by the city-based NGO, Helping Hand Foundation, around 63 per cent of Muslims in city are below the poverty line (BPL), while other 35 per cent are financially stable and remaining two per cent are elite.