Muftiate of Chechnya defines zakat of 100 roubles

The minimum amount of this year's zakat (a form of alms-giving, treated in Islam as a mandatory religious charity that each believer should make upon completion of fasting in the month of Ramadan) should make 100 roubles (about $1.6), the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM of Muftiate) of Chechnya has informed.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 17, Chechnya, like Dagestan, started the fasting in honour of the holy month of Ramadan. In the issue of fasting, the Muftiates of Chechnya and Dagestan did not share the opinion of the Russian Council of Muftis, which declared the beginning of Ramadan on May 16.

"As before, zakat-ul-fitr is set at the price of three kilograms of wheat per person; in monetary terms the amount of zakat is 100 roubles from a family member," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told at the Muftiate.

"It is preferable to award zakat in the form of wheat rather than money," said Mokhmad, one of the local theologians. "But in our time, people see no need for wheat; therefore, money is more popular."

The theologian has added that when distributing his zakat, a believer must observe a number of conditions that are often overlooked. "Zakat ul-fitr should be distributed after the end of the evening prayer (namaz), on the last day of Ramadan, or in the morning of the next day before the time of the general id-namaz in mosques," he told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Apart from the mandatory zakat-ul-fitr, believers should also think about giving alms for their missed days of Ramadan fasting, another local clergyman has noted.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.