Reading a policy
How to check a zakat charity’s zakat policy
Six points a clear zakat policy covers, and what a vague one leaves out.
What a zakat charity’s policy should tell you
Where zakat goes, what it may pay for, and how quickly. A clear policy is a page you can find and read in a minute.
Work out your zakat first, then see where every pound of it goes.
Six points to check in a zakat policy
| Point | A clear policy says |
|---|---|
| A separate zakat fund | Zakat is held apart from other gifts |
| Who receives it | Which of the eight groups (Quran 9:60) |
| Admin costs | Whether any come from zakat, and the share |
| A 100% policy | What it covers, and who pays the running costs |
| Countries | Where it is spent, and whether you can choose |
| Timing | How long before zakat reaches people |
If the policy is vague
Ask before you give. A charity that cannot say where zakat goes is not yet the place for yours. Muslim Charity Organizations explains what a 100% policy covers.