Exercise Discretion In Charity

Muslim Murasu, August 2012

Charities and donations are special features of Ramzan. Zakat, Fitra, Hadiya donations should reach the needy. There cannot be a second opinion. Religious workers and institutions spend a sacred month investing all their efforts in collecting funds. Philanthropists should not make the needy come to their precincts or verandahs. Thorough planning and financial counsels are needed to run a public institution or a missionary premise. Under the current inflationary trend, a religious organization cannot be run with casual collections of 500 rupees or 1000 rupees. Hypocrisy and pretensions are staged without break. Haraam income will incur Haraam spending. Honest, serving, good people, those with self-respect, will not go to the doors of others, begging for help. Moomin seeking to live a dignified life will not come forward with pleading hands. Ramzan should not be used to encourage brazen beggars. Earning is easy. Extra income is natural. But finding needy people pointedly and precisely needs additional efforts. It is very difficult. Every rupee donated should reach deserving hands. Philanthropic bent of mind is not sufficient. Serious effort, analysis, research and hard work are needed. Efforts shown in earning should also be shown while donating. Otherwise Zakat will reach evil hands. Anti-social practices will emerge. Chaos, disintegration, whimsical and unrestrained attitudes will surge in the society. One missionary will cut the throat of another missionary. One religious institution will sledge other religious institution and call for street bout. There will be chivalrous speeches. A careful study of Muslim welfare organizations and trustees will make it clear. There is no long term planning for poverty eradication. TV excesses, innocence and buffoonery are the exhibits. Extravagant, polemic, domineering candidates disguising as community leaders and prowling for funds has become a routine scene. Philanthropists should, instead of donating money, pay direct, surprise visits to the organizations and take ownership only for charity and welfare schemes. Jewel obsession is holding sway over poor, middle class and upper section alike. In the current chaotic conditions, philanthropists can do better than callously donating money and opening the doors of hell. Acquire first hand information about religious works and charity conditions. Otherwise money will go wasted and ruin the society.