- JEDDAH: A 18-member delegation of prominent citizens in Madinah have refuted the allegation against Makkah Charitable Foundation (MCF) that the charity delayed distribution of Zakat Al-Fitr, which is given to the poor before the Eid prayer.
The delegation inspected the foundation’s branch office in Madinah on Sunday following press reports that the charity was keeping rice bags meant for Zakat Al-Fitr without distributing them among the deserving.
“The press reports on this matter is totally untrue,” the delegation said in a statement, condemning the media for its attempt to defame the organization.
Media reports also said the charity had distributed tainted rice to the poor.
The delegation found 17 bags of contaminated rice outside the organization’s warehouse.
The rice bags, which belonged to a trading firm located close to the charity, were kept outside for municipality vehicles to take them to its dumping grounds. “We have not found any leftovers of Zakat Al-Fitr at the charity’s warehouse,” said the delegation.
The charity distributed six pickup loads of rice as Zakat Al-Fitr among the poor including 3,000 orphans supported by the MCF.
