JEDDAH, 7 December 2005 — Dr. Yousuf Al-Qaradawi, a renowned Islamic scholar, has called upon Muslim rulers to activate Zakah system in their countries in order to eradicate poverty and unemployment.
Speaking to Arab News at Islamic Development Bank, he urged formation of a Zakah fund for collecting and distributing the obligatory charity to be paid by wealthy Muslims.
“He said Zakah should be collected and distributed among the eight categories of its beneficiaries as instructed by the Shariah,” Qaradawi said, adding that it is not implemented properly in many Muslim societies.
“The extraordinary Islamic summit in Makkah is a good opportunity to discuss this proposal for the economic and social development of the Islamic world,” said Qaradawi.
He hoped that the resolutions to be taken by the summit would play a big role in the progress of the Ummah in the coming years.
In a similar statement, Khaled Rabah Al-Harbi, director general of the regional office of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jeddah, hoped that the summit would boost joint action between the Organization of the Islamic Conference countries.
“Islamic countries have big weight at international level and have great potentials in terms of capital, raw material and expertise. But they don’t play a major role in the world stage,” he pointed out.
The Faqeeh Research & Development Center, meanwhile, proposed the establishment of a permanent exhibition center in Makkah for products of Muslim countries. The center has already conducted a feasibility study on the project.
Abdul Rahman Faqeeh, founder of the center, had presented the proposal in a number of forums in order to make it a reality. He also took the issue to the attention of King Abdullah when the people of Makkah held a reception for the king.
“The idea is that pilgrims coming from all over the world to perform Haj and Umrah will visit the exhibition center, opening new horizons of economic and commercial cooperation among Muslim countries,” he said.
