New 'zakat' law will not affect donations collected: Bazis<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The city's Muslim Charitable Donations Board (Bazis) and
\nseveral mosques have expressed optimism that the new government
\npolicy on zakat (Islamic alms) will not affect the amounts they
\ncollect annually in zakat.<\/p>\n
The chairman of Bazis Jakarta, Abdul Shomad Muin, stressed
\nthat the board had many loyal donors.<\/p>\n
\"It doesn't matter if our zakat donations decrease as we only
\nact as the collector and distributor (of zakat). We don't get a
\npenny from handling it,\" Abdul told The Jakarta Post on Monday,
\nadding that Bazis employees are paid by the city administration.<\/p>\n
Zakat is a tithe that all Muslims are obliged by their
\nreligion to pay, and should amount to 2.5 percent of their
\nwealth. Recently, the government issued a new regulation
\nwhich provides that the 2.5 percent paid in alms is deductible
\nfrom the income tax of donating Muslim worker.<\/p>\n
The government also plans to establish a National Zakat
\nExecutive Agency to handle the collection and distribution of the
\nalms.<\/p>\n
Separately, H.Suhendar, an official from the Istiqlal Mosque
\nin Central Jakarta, expressed similar optimism, saying that
\nalthough zakat was a religious obligation for all Muslims, actual
\npayment depended on their individual consciences.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, the amount we collect in zakat is different each
\nyear,\" he asserted, adding that after the economic crisis hit the
\ncountry in 1997, donations to the mosque decreased slightly.<\/p>\n
According to Abdul, Muslims are free to choose how to pay
\nzakat. He also said the new policy would provide an alternative
\nfor Muslims in paying zakat.<\/p>\n
Currently, various private groups, such as local mosques,
\ncollect and distribute the money to the needy. Distribution
\nusually takes place prior to Idul Fitri.<\/p>\n
Last year, Bazis Jakarta collected and distributed Rp 8.4
\nbillion in zakat and other donations for the needy. Most of the
\nthose who pay are administration officials and local companies.<\/p>\n
The Istiqlal Mosque's management, said Suhendar, was able to
\ncollect Rp 7.5 billion last year from ordinary people.<\/p>\n
Unlike Bazis, the mosque management still applies the
\ntraditional method of distributing zakat by giving some cash and
\nrice to the poor.<\/p>\n
Besides giving rice to the needy, Bazis Jakarta has used zakat
\nfunds to provide scholarships for about 20,000 students
\nthroughout the city, and for helping some 3,000 small-scale
\nvendors and 3,000 mosques.<\/p>\n
\"We hope the funds can help the needy became financially
\nindependent and better educated,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/new-zakat-law-will-not-affect-donations-collected-bazis-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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