Tag: Zakat

575 Needy Muslim Families Get Help At Ramadan Event

Close to 600 families received cash and vouchers worth over S$200,000 at the Muslim Converts’ Association of Singapore’s Ramadan Zakat Disbursement ceremony yesterday. The 575 recipients included the low-income, the elderly and those with chronic diseases.

For the first time in the association’s annual drive, which began more than 20 years ago, beneficiaries also received sponsored items from corporate donors, such as Zac Butchery and Al-Wadi Restaurant, as well as actor Suhaimi Yusof. The items included turkey ham, dates and tea.

The guest of honour, Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament (Marsiling-Yew Tee) Halimah Yacob, said the institution of zakat was “well-organised and strong” in Singapore. Zakat is the obligatory act of almsgiving and is one of Islam’s pillars.

“People are brought together through the sharing of wealth, while at the same time performing their Islamic duty,” she said.

“Today’s event reminds us of the strong spirit of charity and unity among Singaporean Muslims. This innate sense to help one another is not only nurtured in Islam; it has always been part of the values upon which the Singaporean community builds itself.”

The recipients, 103 of whom are converts to Islam and 472 of whom were born into the religion, each received S$255 from the zakat and NTUC FairPrice vouchers of S$110 from fidyah, which are religious donations made when a fast is broken.

They said the money will come in handy for groceries and medical expenses. “This zakat can help me a lot. I can buy (household items and use it) for my children’s school fees and maybe new clothes for Hari Raya,” said Mdm Peng Hui Mei @ Nur Ain Peng Abdullah, 43, whose three children are aged nine to 21. The patient service associate at a public hospital said it was her first time receiving zakat.

Father-of-five Jeyaseelan @ Abdul Ghani, 47, said his wife has been on kidney dialysis for almost 12 years and that doctors have said her heart is failing. His three elder children in polytechnic help by working part-time, and the Uber driver said he was also grateful for the support of staff at the Muslim Converts’ Association of Singapore, or Darul Arqam Singapore, who inform him of avenues of financial assistance.

Mdm Halimah, who has been suggested as a potential candidate for the Presidential Election in September, shook hands and mingled with the recipients, but did not speak to reporters. She has so far kept mum on the coming election, which is reserved for the Malay community, and on the likelihood of her candidacy.

Source: http://www.todayonline.com

June 5, 2017
MUIS Umum Kadar Zakat Fitrah Tahun Ini

MUIS mengumumkan kadar zakat fitrah bagi Ramadan tahun ini, iaitu $5.10 seorang bagi kadar biasa, dan $7 seorang, bagi mereka yang ingin membayar zakat lebih tinggi.

Pembayaran wang tunai, cek atau NETS boleh dibuat melalui amil di masjid-masjid, badan-badan Melayu/Islam dan MUIS.

Pembayaran menerusi mesin AXS boleh dilakukan mulai esok.

Masyarakat Muslim turut boleh membayar fitrah dengan menggunakan telepol fitrah di talian nombor,1900-112-3510 ( bagi $5.10 seorang) dan talian 1900-112-3700 (bagi $7 seorang).

Tarikh tutup bagi telepol tersebut ialah pada 25 Jun, sebelum 7.00 pagi.

Selain daripada menggunakan telepol fitrah, masyarakat Muslim juga boleh membuat pembayaran secara dalam talian dan menerusi ATM.

Pembayaran boleh dibuat sepanjang bulan Ramadan hingga pagi Syawal pertama sebelum solat Aidilfitri.

Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

May 27, 2017
Mufti Singapura: Zakat Perlu Ditambah Bila Ekonomi Terdesak

DI sebalik kebimbangan ekonomi yang tidak menentu, Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Muis) komited meneliti dan memantau perkembangan selanjutnya jika terdapat tanda bahawa masyarakat memerlukan sumbangan zakat lebih besar.

Jika timbul keperluan itu, Muis akan membuat penyesuaian bagi golongan berkenaan.

Mufti Ustaz Dr Mohamed Fatris Bakaram menekankan bahawa apabila timbul keperluan khusus, contohnya kelembapan ekonomi, Jawatankuasa Zakat Fitrah akan membuat pertimbangan dan menyesuaikan peruntukan setiap asnaf berdasarkan keperluan masyarakat.

“Pada masa begini, peruntukan ‘biasa’ untuk asnaf fakir dan miskin akan ditambah, demi memberi sokongan tambahan kepada mereka yang memerlukan dan menyokong bantuan di peringkat nasional,” ujarnya.

Perkara tersebut pernah dilakukan oleh Muis ketika berlaku kemelesetan ekonomi dari 2008 hingga 2009.

Pada 2009, Muis menambah peruntukan dalam bentuk Dana Ihsan bagi mereka yang terjejas oleh kemelesetan ekonomi pada masa itu.

Selain itu, Mufti menambah bahawa walaupun keadaan ekonomi kini tidak menentu, sumbangan zakat tetap kekal stabil, malah bertambah secara perlahan.

“Apabila masyarakat mempunyai kesungguhan memenuhi rukun Islam dan menghulurkan melalui Muis kerana keyakinan mereka dalam sistem yang kita ada, jumlah zakat semakin meningkat.

“Ini membolehkan kami menyemak tangga pendapatan per kapita (PCI) keluarga untuk melayakkan sesebuah keluarga mendapat zakat,” ujarnya.

Menurut beliau, pada 2014 Muis telah menyemak PCI dan meningkatkannya sebanyak $30 dan ini membolehkan lebih ramai layak menerima bantuan. Tahun lalu pula, Muis berjaya menambah bantuan khusus kepada fakir miskin sebanyak $2 juta secara keseluruhan setelah menyemak PCI.

“Semakin institusi zakat ini diyakini dan masyarakat memberikan sokongan yang meningkat, lebih banyak golongan yang dapat dibantu dan diringankan beban mereka,” katanya.

Source: www.beritaharian.sg

November 25, 2016
Mufti Perak: Haram Beri Zakat Terus Kepada Asnaf

PARIT BUNTAR, Jumaat – Umat Islam diminta tidak membayar zakat secara terus kepada asnaf kerana perbuatan itu hukumnya adalah haram, kata Mufti Perak Tan Sri Dr Harussani Zakaria.

Beliau berkata, orang ramai dinasihatkan untuk membayar zakat kepada pusat zakat yang dilantik oleh kerajaan di setiap negeri.

“Mengikut hukum syarak, apabila ada satu badan yang telah dilantik kerajaan untuk mengumpul zakat fitrah dan harta, setiap orang wajib mengeluarkan zakat kepada badan tersebut.

“Ini kerana badan itu telah diperintahkan supaya mencari dan mengumpulkan asnaf yang ada untuk disampaikan secara adil hasil zakat itu,” katanya pada sidang media selepas majlis penyampaian bantuan Aidilfitri kepada 300 fakir miskin dan sumbangan kepada Majlis Agama Islam dan Adat Melayu Perak (MAIPk) oleh Yayasan Muhibbah Fng Ah Seng di sini, hari ini.

Dr Harussani mengulas berhubung isu viral di Facebook di mana sebanyak 70 peratus orang ramai bersetuju membayar zakat terus kepada asnaf manakala 30 peratus lagi kepada badan pungutan zakat.

Katanya, pembayaran seperti itu hukumnya tidak sah dan dikhuatiri asnaf yang menerima itu layak atau tidak menerima zakat.

“Pendapat seperti ini salah kerana MAIPk memberikan zakat secara adil kepada asnaf yang layak menerima zakat. Pegawai kita masuk kampung untuk mengesan asnaf yang layak menerima zakat dan gaji mereka kita ambil dari bahagian amil dan bukan dari asnaf,” katanya.

Source: www.ismaweb.net

June 27, 2016
Almakhazin SG: Most Of Zakat To MUIS Does Not Go To Needy

A lot of Muslims assume that MUIS’ funds are mainly (if not only) from two sources:

1. Government
2. MBMF

And we think that MUIS staff salary are all paid by the government.

Not true.

MUIS actually has multiple sources of income.

As showed previously, MUIS collects about $22 million a year from the Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund (MBMF)

Another source of funds for MUIS is zakat (harta and fitrah).

In 2014, MUIS collected $31.8 million zakat/ fitrah.

For most of us, when we give our zakat, apart from it being a religious obligation, we assume the money will be used to help those in need.

While we may know the different asnaf, there is an expectation that most of the funds will be used to help the needy (whether they are poor, mualaf, travellers etc).

But what many of us may not realise is that a lot of the funds actually go to support MUIS staff salary and operations.

Of the $31.8 million collected in 2014, only $13.8 million went to the needy.

That is less than half of the zakat/ fitrah collected.

Where did the rest of the money go to?

About $1million went to rent.

$7.65 million of the zakat is used for salary.

And this is not for amil. Amil commission is $900,000.

$310,000 of the zakat/ fitrah collection was used for IT maintenance.

Several million are given out as grants.

In 2014, MUIS gave $250,000 to the RRG.

RRG is an organisation set up by the government. We are still waiting for MUIS to respond to our email if the money given to RRG came from our zakat/ fitrah.

And MUIS still has about $30 million from the fitrah fund in bank.

Most of the money we give for zakat does not go to the needy.

A large part of it goes to MUIS staff and its operations.

And some of the funds collected are kept in the bank.

Source: MUIS Annual report 2014

Source: Almakhazin SG

March 23, 2016