Ramadhan harvest time for charitable organizations<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The season for giving, or the month of Ramadhan, gives a
\nconsiderable boost to the revenue of charitable organizations.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Islamic Charitable Body (Bazis Jakarta), which is
\nan official institution tasked to raise zakat, or obligatory
\ndonations for charity, says the amount of money collected during
\nRamadhan can reach Rp 5 billion (US$526,315), or five times the
\namount raised during normal months.<\/p>\n
"This year, we set a target of raising at least Rp 16 billion.
\nWe had collected around Rp 10 billion by October and we are
\noptimistic we can collect another Rp 6 billion in the remaining
\nmonths," head of Bazis Jakarta's zakat utilization division,
\nAbdurrahman, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Last year, he said, Bazis Jakarta collected Rp 14 billion.<\/p>\n
Like Bazis, many other Islamic charitable groups, such as the
\nDompet Duafa, see an increase in revenue during the fasting
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
"Ramadhan is a special month for Muslims. We organize a number
\nof charitable events to accommodate their good deeds," said
\nImazgee Togie, an assistant to the director of Asset Reform
\nNetwork of Dompet Duafa.<\/p>\n
Togie added this year his organization had set a target to
\ncollect Rp 23 billion, as last year it had collected Rp 20
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
According to Islamic teachings, God will give manifold reward
\nfor the good deeds Muslims do during the holy month of Ramadhan
\nand that a Muslim who has accumulated at least the equivalent of
\n98 grams of gold within a year is obliged to give 2.5 percent of
\nhis cumulative wealth as zakat.<\/p>\n
Because of such a belief, most Muslims prefer to pay zakat mal
\n-- a percentage of their wealth for charity -- during Ramadhan.<\/p>\n
At the end of Ramadhan, each Muslim is also obliged to pay
\nzakat fitrah -- 2.5 kilograms of staple food or an equal amount
\nof money mainly for the poor.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government does not regulate how zakat is paid.
\nMuslims usually give their zakat through charitable
\norganizations, mosques or directly to the needy.<\/p>\n
Although there are guidelines for distributing the charity
\nfund, each organization has its own way.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman said nearly 75 percent of the fund was distributed
\nto students from poor families, while another 25 percent was used
\nto renovate mosques and to fund the development of small-scale
\nenterprises.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, according to Togie, Dompet Duafa uses 50 percent of
\nthe money to encourage people to develop small-scale enterprises,
\nwhile another 50 percent is used to fund various charitable
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
"We don't want to give them only money, but also certain
\nbusiness skills. Our objective is to change them from zakat
\nreceivers to zakat payers," he added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ramadhan-harvest-time-for-charitable-organizations-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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