Tithes Increase Significantly
By Abdul Rahim Mohd Taib, Shafiyi Azahari

Bandar Seri Begawan - The poor and the needy will continue to receive attention from relevant authorities as this year's Hari Raya celebration is getting closer.

And in years to come they will likely be showered with more financial aid as tithes coming government agencies, individuals and private companies continue to rise each year.

Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Seri Setia Ustaz Awang Badaruddin Pengarah Dato Paduka Awang Othman presented zakat or tithes to 191 heads of impoverished' families from Brunei-Muara district in a ceremony at the Jame' 'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque in Kiarong yesterday.

The recipients are known, to be families who are unable to make ends meet, having no adequate income to buy basic necessities, let alone pay for the children's schooling.

Officials from the 2005-2006 Tithe Collection and Distribution Unit were at the ceremony to attend to the tithe distribution. Recipients are simply too hard up they have no bank accounts through which the tithes could be channelled.

Syariah High Court Judge Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Seri Utama Dato Paduka Seri Setia Awang Salim Besar and Deputy State Mufti Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Setia Raja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Awang Suhaili Mohiddin also attended the ceremony. Both are members of the Religious Council and Tithes Distribution Committee.

The tithes for those with bank accounts were distributed on Tuesday.

"Allah has determined that poor people have their rights to receive tithes in order that they can maintain their self-esteem and their faith," said the Deputy Minister.

In expressing gratitude to Allah, the tithe recipients, as slaves of Allah, are supposed to obey Him and use His grace accordingly, he said.

He also assured the donors that "according to Islamic teaching, Allah will give them help and rezeki (provision)". The Deputy Minister said the collection of both tithes on self (zakat fitrah) and tithes on wealth (zakat mao continued to increase every year.

"The 1426H12005 collection of zakat fitrah, for example, increased by $15,390.19 or 2.01 per cent to $780,789.97 over the previous year, he said. The collection of zakat mal during the past year to September 23 increased by $4.68 million or 36.74 per cent to $15.14 million, he added.

Zakat mal is collected not only from individuals but also from financial institutions, entrepreneurs, cooperatives and restaurants. The Deputy Minister acknowledged that the increase in the amounts of tithes indicated that awareness among Muslims on the obligation to pay tithes was on the rise.

Distribution of tithes also commenced yesterday at three other districts, said Acting Secretary of Islamic Religious Council Department Abd Wahab Safar. He said a total of $780,789.97 of zakat fitrah had been collected during the last year's Ramadan.

Meanwhile, more than $15 million of zakat mal was collected from October 2005 until September 23 this year.

He added that tithes for 2,325 converts was also distributed yesterday through amil' or tithe collectors nationwide.

One recipient Md Hisham Abdullah, 69, from Kg Mentiri, expressed gratitude yesterday to Bruneians who continue to care for the poor.

"Thank God, concerned authorities are taking care of us who neither have material possessions nor means of livelihood," said Md Hisham who has seven children.  -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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