KUALA LUMPUR: A campaign is being carried out in the Federal Territory to disseminate information on Muslims’ zakat obligations.
The three-month Business Zakat Payee Support Campaign 2018 is being carried out by the zakat collection centre of the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (PPZ-MAIWP) and the Malaysian Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM).
PPZ-MAIWP chairman Datuk Che Mat Che Ali said the campaign, which ends on May 15, was initiated to encourage Muslim businessmen and companies to pay zakat.
The campaign team visited 82 business premises at Medan Mara here.
Most were selected because they had not been paying zakat.
“We go door to door to meet the business community, including traders, to promote awareness of their obligation to observe the third pillar of Islam,” said Che Mat.
“This campaign is a smart partnership between us and PPIM to promote awareness on the importance of zakat and how this financial contribution can benefit society.
“This campaign is also to remind traders of the wisdom of paying zakat for the purification of their property.”
Che Mat said the campaign also aimed to increase PPZ-MAIWP’s zakat collection and bring the agency closer to the business community to prevent them from going to unauthorised zakat collectors or agents.
Restaurant Zaza owner Zakaria Mohd Nor, 67, who has been paying zakat for 20 years, said: “When a Muslim is running a business, it is his responsibility to pay zakat.
“I hope traders have emphaty towards those in need and pay zakat every year.”
They had visited business premises in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Wangsa Maju during two previous Zakat Visit programmes.
Present were PPIM chief activist Datuk Nadzim Johan, PPZ-MAIWP chief executive officer Ahmad Shukri Yusoff and celebrity Norman Hakim.