Muslim “Charity Tax” Helps Those Hit by Corona Crisis

Pakistanis in Karachi are offering charity such as food and money to those who lost jobs during the COVID-19 outbreak, asking nothing in return except for a prayer that the pandemic ends soon.

Many are specifically offering “zakat” – a traditional Muslim charity tax that helps employees with no paid leave, health insurance or financial safety net. Zakat normally requires wage earners to donate 2.5% of their annual excess wealth, but the spread of the coronavirus has led to many already voluntarily giving a lot more than the required percentage.

While zakat is largely offered during Ramadan, the chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology had encouraged citizens to an “early” offering of zakat as an initiative to help tackle the coronavirus impacts.

“Zakat removes impurities from wealth,” says Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed Khan, a Karachi-based molecular biologist. “I am answerable if any of my neighbours go to bed hungry. How can I have an overstocked pantry while one of my neighbours is in need?”

Those who cannot offer zakat are helping in other ways, such as preparing monthly ration packets filled with basic grocery items for the less fortunate.