Wares Ali Khan :
We are undergoing unprecedented circumstances and woeful setbacks because of the ongoing pandemic. Life and livelihood have been shrunk tremendously. People from different walks of life, particularly marginalized and hand to mouth, are in indescribable misery. To curb the upward surge of Coronavirus government has imposed an all-out nationwide lockdown giving priority to health safety. In the meantime, the extended lockdown-induced financial impact has reached an intense state of adversity for many.
To prioritize both life and livelihood simultaneously is substantial during this dire situation. The overall challenges are now twofold and that is- to ensure human health care and sustain timely economic recovery. The prime task of the state authority, for the time being, is to ensure that those who have suffered most from the pandemic do not fall behind. Cash support will have to be allocated for the dirt-poor who have been experiencing a quandary in the mundane routine of life.
Many of us have come to know that a rickshaw puller father carried his seriously sick infant by pulling a rickshaw to Rangpur Medical College Hospital from Thakurgaon transiting a distance of almost 110 km. This sort of real-life shock originated by the pandemic-driven economic hardship speaks out loud about the inexpressible vulnerability of a good number of people in the country.
There is a shortage of food and essential stuff in the households of innumerable hard-up individuals. This might prolong the agony of millions of poverty-stricken marginalized people, and extend their inhuman sufferings in the month of Ramzan. As of now, we should ensure open-armed assistance for the low-income groups by disbursing Zakat from our obligation and liability.
The holy month of Ramazan is the time of fasting and fostering care, compassion, and love for fellow Muslims. To widen up the helping hands toward the impoverished community is also the key spirit of month-long fasting. We should prefer the favor of showing our love to the persons living nearby standing by them during this hard-hit condition.
Among the five fundamental aspects (Rokon) of Islam, paying Zakat is verily significant. In this regard, Allah the exalted has said in the Holy Quran: ‘Establish Salat and pay Zakat’ (Surah Muzzammil: 20).
Destitute and underprivileged people have the right to the wealth of the rich. Paying Zakat to the poor by the rich is not mercy or sympathy, rather it is an obligate financial liability on the part of the rich ones. By donating Zakat the rich can purify their wealth, rectify themselves, and comply with the command of Allah (SWT). In the Holy Quran, Allah (SWT) has mentioned: ‘Surely the poor and deprived persons have the right on the wealth of the rich’ (Surah Al-Zariya: 19). A hadith has been quoted from the Prophet (PBUH): ‘Those who are rich will be taken from them and those who are poor will be distributed among them’ (Bukhari).
It is to note that Zakat is a mandatory provision for accomplishing monetary devoutness following Islamic procedure determined for once a year. Our great Prophet (PBUH) has addressed Zakat as a bridge of Islam. It merges the gap between the rich and the poor and develops a warm relationship. So, Zakat should be distributed among the poor as prescribed by the Islamic principles. It brings peace, settles harmony in the society, and makes Allah the exalted entirely satisfied.
Zakat is a vital catalyst to alleviate poverty. By eliminating inequality between the rich and the poor, Zakat creates a balance. If the rich folk of the society rightly pays Zakat, then it would be tough indeed to find needy people anymore. In another sense, Zakat strengthens the economic foundation by eradicating poverty, increments wealth, and purifies property. There is a narration from the great Prophet (PBUH): ‘Wealth never diminishes due to charity.’ Charity removes the wrath of Allah (SWT) and prevents immorality. In this holy month of blessings, the Sawab (virtues) of paying Zakat manifolds and rewards turn seventy times more for the payers.
This message is from Allah (SWT) as a reminder for us: ‘Those whom Allah has favored, and afterward they are niggardly, so that they do not consider this niggardliness to be good for themselves’ (Surah Al-Imran: 180). Therefore, we have to come up to serve the poor community in this rugged time by offering a portion of money from the wealth Allah has bestowed us. We should accomplish the well-being of our fellow Muslims and enhance happiness with monetary patronization. We hope the charity we shall offer will be granted by Allah (SWT) and bringprosperity for us in both worlds.
(Mr. Khan is an Academic).
