The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has collected USD84,306 in Zakat Al-Fitr payments during the first 10 days of the holy month of Ramadan in 2023.
The Islamic ministry announced the amount of Zakat Al-Fitr payments collected during the first 10 days of Ramadan for the past four years. The highest amount was collected in 2019 which was USD97,276 and the second highest was collected in 2022 which was USD84,306. The statistics also show that USD64,850 was collected in 2021, while USD58,365 was collected in 2020.
The Islamic ministry will be collecting Zakat Al-Fitr payments until April 18. Local councils are accepting Zakat Al-Fitr payments in the atolls while the Islamic ministry is accepting payments online and via the desk established at the ministry’s hall. The desk will be open from 1000-1300hrs on working days and services will only be available for the elderly and those who are unable to make their payment online.
The Islamic ministry said online payments will be accepted through Ooredoo Maldives, Dhiraagu, Bank of Maldives (BML), Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB), as well as via the FahiPay application and the BandeyriPay portal. The ministry added that it will begin accepting payments for food in the last few days of Ramadan.
Zakat al-Fitr is collected during the month of Ramadan every year, to be distributed among the poor. The minimum amount due is the equivalent of 2.4kg of wheat flour, rice, or other staple food, per member of the household. The rates of Zakat range from USD0.78 to USD8.12 in Male' City, depending on the type of wheat flour or rice used by residents.