Zakat as an institution plays an important role in the Islamic economic system. If enforced and implemented honestly it helps a lot in solving a number of economic problems in Pakistan. For instance it will contribute towards an equitable distribution of wealth in our country where a lot of people belong to poor class.
Zakat is one of the important sources of revenue in an Islamic state as well as constitutes a significant article of five basic beliefs of our religion Islam. This is a notable form of financial kind of worship that has been stressed time and again. Zakat is collected from the big landlords, capitalists, industrialists and the other rich persons of society and distributed to the poor and needy. On the other hand the Islamic state is required to provide work for everyone who is able to work. But where the state is unable to provide the labour or work for poor then public treasury should support them. No doubt that Zakat committees were formed at local level and provincial level, but its not enough. More financial aid must be given to welfare institution, religious madrassas, poor individual, especially orphan’s schools. Central Zakat Council should be reorganised and authentic ulemas and expert economists must be appointed as members of Zakat Council under the supervision of Chief Justice of Pakistan.
FARHAT SAEED,
Lahore, February 11.