Publication:
The transformative power of zakat (alms) in a humanitarian crisis: a case study from Kenya
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Date
2022
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Abstract
Zakat is compulsory alms given by eligible Muslims around the world every year to legal beneficiaries derived from the Holy Book of Muslims: Quran. These legal beneficiaries include the poor and needy. The general rule followed in the distribution of zakat among Muslims is that zakat money collected is distributed within the legal recipients found in the geographical area in which it is collected or within the same country. It is hard to find instances where zakat money collected is transported to another country to transform the lives of poor and needy in those communities who require such assistance to improve their lives. The main reason for this is due to the Shariah opinions given by the scholars on the permissibility of transporting zakat money from one country to another. Despite this challenge, Majlis Agama Islam and Adat Istiadat Melayu Perlis (MAIPS), which is the state religious authority of one of the states of Malaysia gave permission to transport zakat from Malaysia to Kenya to support a humanitarian project managed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). This is a landmark case as MAIPS's decision to transport zakat from Malaysia to Kenya was used to help a drought assistance program in the county of Kitui, located in southern central Kenya that was identified as the worst-affected part of the country.
Keywords
Alms , Humanitarian crisis , Kenya , Poor and needy , Transformation effect , Zakat
Citation
Mahmood, J., Hassan, M. K., & Muneeza, A. (2022). The transformative power of zakat (alms) in a humanitarian crisis: a case study from Kenya. In M. K. Hassan, A. Muneeza, & K. N. M. Sonko (Eds.), Islamic finance in Africa: the prospects for sustainable development (pp. 307-318). Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.
Publisher
Edward Elgar Publishing Limited
Available in EBSCOHost eBooks (Call Number: HG 3368 A6 I82Ha 2022 ebk)