By Ahmed Noor Qureshi
Jalna: Prominent social activist Abdul Haseeb Bhatkar said that Muslims should strive to become givers rather than dependents, stressing that collective and systematic use of Zakat can play a crucial role in eradicating poverty within the community.
He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Zakat Centre in Jalna on Sunday. Elaborating on the objectives of the initiative, Bhatkar said that Zakat, when managed through a collective and organised centre-based system, could significantly alleviate poverty and help the Muslim community become self-reliant.
Bhatkar informed that at present, 38 Zakat Centres are operational across India, of which six are functioning in Maharashtra. The Jalna centre will be the seventh in the state. Highlighting the success of the Mumbai Zakat Centre, he said the initiative primarily focuses on supporting petty traders, hawkers and small vendors to start their own ventures and achieve economic independence.
“The Mumbai centre has been working for the past four years and has supported nearly 1,200 petty traders by providing financial assistance ranging from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 1 lakh to start small businesses. The success rate has been encouraging, with only four to five per cent ventures failing due to unavoidable circumstances,” he said.
He added that the centres also extend financial support for education. Beneficiaries who succeed in their ventures voluntarily contribute back to the Zakat system, with nearly Rs 8 lakh recovered so far. Over the last four years, around Rs. 3 crore has been distributed through the Zakat centres. Bhatkar pointed out that small traders, cart-pullers and hawkers are often exploited by moneylenders, and the Zakat system has proved to be a boon for them.
Identifying eligible beneficiaries, however, remains the most challenging task, he said, adding that after identification, a scrutiny committee sanctions the funds.
Presiding over the programme, Hafiz Iqbal Chunawala, a member of the governing council of Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband, said women beneficiaries have shown better results as they are more economical, disciplined and careful in running businesses. “While men often fall into bad habits, women take responsibility for household welfare. We not only provide financial assistance to women to start ventures but also impart training,” he said.
Coordinator of the Federation of Maharashtra Muslims, Shaikh Mujeeb, explained that Zakat is an obligatory annual charity in Islam and the third of the Five Pillars. He said eligible Muslims are required to donate 2.5 per cent of their surplus wealth, above a prescribed threshold (nisab), to purify their earnings and support the poor, needy and other specified categories.
Abdul Waheed gave introductory speech while Shaikh Ismail conduced the proceeding.
The programme witnessed the presence of community leaders, social workers and members of the Muslim community in large numbers.
