New Delhi, July 1 (). After the alleged case of Ram Mandir donations controversy, now a debate has started regarding donations received in religious institutions and its management. In this series, Congress leader Rashid Alvi and Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah Committee’s Sajjada Nasheen and Chairman Syed Farid Ahmed Nizami gave their respective reactions on the system of donations and zakat received in mosques, madrassas and dargahs.
Congress leader Rashid Alvi said while talking to that Zakat is not given in mosques. Zakat is for the needy and poor people, not for mosques. Mosques are operated by a committee, where the Imam teaches Namaz and after the Namaz, people leave from there. There is no such system inside the mosque where the question of this type of theft would arise. It is not appropriate to compare temple and mosque as both are centers of different faith. Whatever happened in Ram temple is a mess with the faith of crores of people. The investigation by the SIT constituted in this case appears to be only a sham and it is difficult to reach the real culprits.
Rashid Alvi said that there are different committees for the operation of Dargahs. The donations received there are used in works like running langar, preparing food and helping the poor. Worship of any tomb or Khanqah is not allowed in Islam. If devotees offer sheets, they are later distributed among the needy and if people donate some money, it is also used for the benefit of the poor. Till now, no such case has come to light in which this type of theft has taken place in any Khanqah or Dargah.
Sajjad Nasheen and Chairman of Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah Committee, Syed Farid Ahmed Nizami said that the funds received by mosques and madrassas are regularly spent on their operations and the welfare of students. Dargahs do not accept Zakat money. People give Zakat amount to Madrassas, where it is used for the education, food and accommodation of the students. In Khankahs where Saadat and Sayyid families are associated, taking Zakat is not considered religiously appropriate. Even if someone wants to give them Zakat, they cannot accept it because according to religious beliefs, taking Zakat from them is prohibited.
Syed Farid Ahmed Nizami further said that the donations received for cemeteries and mosques are spent in related works. If a person donates for the langar, it is used for the same purpose. These institutions do not receive a large amount of money, rather whatever amount is received is spent as per the need. If any isolated case has come to light, it should be seen in its own context and should not be compared with other religious institutions.
On AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s statement in which he had said that if there was a Muslim in the trust, he would have been encountered, Nizami said that he did not want to comment on the intentions of any person. If injustice is done to an innocent person or his house is demolished without proper reason then it is a serious injustice. At the same time, if someone is deliberately released despite being guilty, then that is also an equally big injustice.
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PSK/ABM
