Importance of Zakat Fund highlighted

The religious role of the Zakat Fund and its crucial contributions to economic reform have been highlighted by one of its officers.

ABU DHABI // The religious role of the Zakat Fund and its crucial contributions to economic reform were highlighted yesterday by one of its officers.

"It helps promote links in society and it's a social responsibility," said Abdul Khaliq Al Mosa, a senior researcher at the fund, a federal body that manages the obligatory annual charitable donations made by Muslims.

Speaking at a seminar on the Zakat Fund and social justice in Abu Dhabi, he said: "It is a religious obligation which we find in the Quran, as it is mentioned more than 80 times.

"The Zakat Fund is comparable to prayer. Islam is based on five pillars and one of them is Zakat. This is further evidence of its obligation."

He said the fund was affiliated with religion, growth and the nation. "The rich who give money obeyed God, contributed to the growth and development of their nation's economy and took care of some of its burden for the poor," said Mr Al Mosa. "They are cleared and pure."

He added that Zakat purified its contributor, the recipient and the money or the property of the contributor.

Mr Al Mosa said Islam was a flexible message and that there was no specific condition for contributors of Zakat.

"They can be nationals or from anywhere and there is no specific age. It could range from one to 100 years old," he added.