Officials' interference in fundraising for sick girl in Chechnya attracts Islamic scholars' attention

Help to those in need is welcomed in Islam; there are even special taxes aimed to raise funds to support the poor, Islamic scholars have noted in their comments to the criticism expressed by Chechen authorities concerning the woman who raised money for her daughter's treatment.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 17, the head of the Gudermes District rebuked on TV air television the woman who had raised money through a social network for a surgery she thought her daughter needed; in parallel, she received money from the Akhmat Kadyrov Foundation for the same purpose. In the opinion of rights defenders, the TV report showed the desire of the Chechen authorities to monopolize all the charity actions.

Islam encourages any help to those in need, said Leonid Sukiyainen, an Islamic scholar. According to his story, in Sharia, if a person has funds that exceed his personal needs, then it will be a good thing to share part of the excess funds with those in need.

In Islam, there is a special tax – "zyakat", or a "cleaning tax", Dmitry Mikulsky, an Orientalist-Arabist, has noted. A total of 2.5% is levied on the property and incomes of wealthy Muslims; and these funds are used to help the poor.

The residents of Chechnya interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" believe that the woman from the Gudermes District had good reason to raise money for the treatment of her daughter.

Islam, a resident of Grozny, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the fact that authorities are trying to monopolize charity. "What is authorities' matter of who and why organizes fundraising? And what right does the official have to arrange a sort of inquiry into this?" he has asked.