Algeria: Zakat money collected by official reports to avoid cheating

The Algerian religious affairs ministry gave an instruction to its regional departments to supervise Zakat money collection as it has to be given to mosque commissions.

The commission members are honest people who perform prayers and members of local commissions. The ministry stressed the necessity of stepping up control over Zakat collection to avoid any cheating.

The ministry also ordered to sign contact reports about the money which is expected to be distributed started from Tuesday.

According to the same instruction, the money must not be kept in mosques. Imams should account and transfer it to Zakat Fund current account.

Fares Messdour, an expert in Islamic economy said there is no instruction which prohibits offering Zakat money to voluntary people who recite the Holy Quran in Tarawih prayers.

Yet, people who recite the Quran in prayers and earn their salary from the ministry are not allowed to get Zakat money.

Mosque commissions determined priorities in granting Zakat money. Widows with their children come first followed by divorced women with children. Each family’s quota is defined according to money value collected in their area.