Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has said that the aim of passing the Zakat laws is to make the Zakat process easier and hassle free for the people.
Dr. Shaheem said that the Zakat was paid in the Maldives without any laws and therefore only a few people paid their Zakat. He said that the law is also needed as a guarantee for the Zakat payer.
“To get their trust we have to make laws. A good legal frame work will earn the trust of the people on the system and more people will pay their Zakat,” he said.
The Minister said that taking Zakat from those who eligible to give it is a responsibility upon the government. He said that it is not the responsibility upon organizations and groups.
“Many organizations are calling to give Zakat to them. They say that they will distribute it. This is now how it is in Islam. It is a responsibility upon the government. This is clearly mentioned in the Quran,” he said.
With the efforts of the ministry, the number of people paying their Zakat have increased over the years.