More on Islamic tithing. Muslims, who gathers your money?

Question

I see that Muslims are obligated to pay 2.5% of their net income to the poor and needy. What a noble cause! How wonderful.

I am wondering, who collects the money? Do Musilms go find a poor person and give 2.5% of their money to them, or do they give the money to a trusted source who distributes the money appropriately?

I was told by a Muslim "Mosques are maintained by a special government department"

Does this mean Mosques are supported by the taxes in Islamic countries? Here in USA, the religious institutions are not funded by the government. I am wondering where mosques get their funding in countries where government taxes are not used to pay for Islam.

Answer 1

The 2.5% thing is done annually and it can be done either way, giving it personally or giving to a trusted charity organization. (Personally is better)

In Islamic countries, Mosques are usually supported by the government. If not and in other countries, its usually the people of the area who make and maintain it. It doesn't cost much after the construction.

Answer 2

Muslims have to give the money to the poor.

Starting by those who are near like neighbors, and people in the neighborhood.

Mosques may receive this but Muslims are obligated to do this on their own, and not through someone else, because the money might not make it to the poor people and there is really no guarantee, unless there is a way of assuring it.

I as a muslim , make sure I do this on my own, to the poor I see on the streets. Homeless, needy, organizations that support the poor and live on donations and etc.

Mosques and religious washing of the dead and so forth, are funded by the government in countries who the majority are muslims. This assures that everyone gets the same treatment.

In Saudi Arabia, mosques are funded for by the government but these go for basic needs and utilities.

The actually have these huge metal cases on the outside for people to come and leave their old clothes and boxes for organizations who collect funds for the poor.

Answer 3

This 2.5% of income is called "ZAKA" and is one of the 5 pillars of Islam and ordered by God because if God made people lucky with higher income we should remember those less fortunate and unite. A person can either distribute his own money if he knows poor people which are plenty in the arab world or to orphanges etc or cangive it to a mosque who has speciallcommittee that has a list of those needy persons. With so much poverty in the world, trust me the least problem is to find a path for such zaka money. In Islamic countries there is a special ministry called awkaf and they have plans to build mosques but alot more are built by private money from rich people because building a place to worship God is very much appreciated by God in Islam.

Answer 4

Well firstly for the poor peoples !! so it doesn't mean a person should be a begger only to whome we can give money.........poor peoples can be in your family and infact they are the first one whom Zakat should be given ( not to mention 'hidenly
) then one can find many poor peoples around . And yes some peoples give it to mosques for the cherity !!

now let me clear it that Mosques are not run by governament or taxes....peoples themselves build mosque by collecting money togather , they appoint imam for that and then that imam is been paid by the peoples themselves.......for that we have a system....and most of the time these imams don't want to get the salary and they do it just for the sake of Allah !!!

So basically affording persons of that are support the mosque for its maintenace etc !!

but when these mosques are built within the governament buildings and offices then obviously governament pay for that. but there too i have seen that public don't let governament to do that and they do it on their own !!

Answer 5

the 2.5% is zakah.. paid annualy to the poor...
u have to give to the poor u r not allowed to use it in a mousque or any other thing..
this money preferably should be given by u but if there was no poor in ur country then u can entrust it to someone else..
the mouse is maintained from 'bait mall almuslimeen" which is the safe that kept by the country to contain money gained by the country this money is spent to maintain mosques and so on..
another source is Sadaqa which paid from anyone who wishes to support mousqes.

Answer 6

I guess Mosques collect the money for charity. Or they can give directly to the charity.

Answer 7

mosque get the funding from the people