KUWAIT,
November 7 (IslamOnline) - The Kuwaiti Zakat House is keen on activating
its charity, humanitarian and relief activities in the Muslims' holy
fasting month of Ramadan.
Capitalizing
on the religious atmosphere of the holy month, the Zakat House maps out
every year a well-calculated plan to lure beneficiaries, donors,
companies, firms and civil societies to pay their Zakat (tithe) and alms
during Ramadan.
In
statements to IslamOnline on Thursday, November 7, Abd el-Rahman
el-Kandari, media advisor to the Zakat House, said that its 27 branches
across Kuwait had intensive preparations before Ramadan to promote
cooperation with beneficiaries and donors to activate the Zakat House
activities and increase its funds.
The
social services department finished all necessary arrangements to
receive help request in the morning, he said, adding that the Zakat
House offers services to widows, divorcees, elders, prisoners' families,
unemployed and low-incomed families.
Kandari
asserted that assisting low-incomed families, who usually refrain from
asking for help, tops the priority of the Zakat House.
He
added that assistance requests double during the holy month from both
inside and outside Kuwait.
The
Zakat House action plan includes several media programs to acquaint
people with the House's activities, donation channels and Zakat
calculation, said Kandari.
The
social services department will be circulating Ramadan gifts, including
food supplies, among needy families, he added.
The
Zakat House also carries out several charity projects in a number of
Arab and Islamic countries during Ramadan, the most important is hosting
fast-breaking banquets for poor Muslims world-wide, said Kandari.
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A
Zakat House charity project inside
Kuwait
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He
added that another department of the Zakat House is responsible for
providing new clothes for orphans before Eid Ul-Fitr to help them
celebrate as ordinary children do.
The
department is also ready to receive visiting delegations from outside
Kuwait, study their requests and forward them to beneficiaries, Kandari
said.
He
added the department also assists beneficiaries in achieving their
desire to join hands in charity projects during the holy month.
The
resources development department at the Zakat House, as part of a plan
to increase funds, contacts beneficiaries and businessmen to market
inside and outside charity projects, Kandari said.
The
department is working on marketing plans for the Zakat House social,
health and educational projects, he added.
The
Zakat House shariaa affairs office receives questions from Muslims
concerning Zakat and ways to make up for some sins during the holy
month, Kandari said.
The
office also plans to organize a daily radio program to answer questions
by listeners, he added.
It
also disseminates and broadcasts fatwas (religious edicts) on Zakat in
newspapers and radio stations during Ramadan, Kandari said.
He
added that the office will also join hands in the Ramadan cultural
program organized by the Kuwaiti Waqfs Ministry, including daily sermons
in all mosques across the emirate.
On
January 16, 1982, a law was passed on setting up of the Zakat House as
an independent body under the supervision of the Waqfs and Islamic
Affairs Ministry in Kuwait
