Government draws up guidelines for providing financial aid out of the Alms Fund

The government has drawn up a general guideline for distribution of money among the poor, the needy, and the wayfarers out of the Alms Fund.

The guideline was drawn up today by the Cabinet after deliberation on a paper presented by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.

Under the guideline, funds would be utilized to help poor people whose Healthy Insurance Scheme limits are surpassed, and those who are not able to register in the Health Insurance Scheme due to various reasons.

Those who become needy due to unexpected incidents and emergencies would also be provided financial health out of the Alms Fund. Among these would include those who loose homes due to fire accidents. Also, people undergoing exceptional circumstances and are in need of financial support would also be eligible under the guideline.

The funds allocated for wayfarers would be used in helping those who need financial support while traveling. This group would include those who face unexpected financial difficulties while abroad, and foreign Muslims who face similar difficulties while in the Maldives with tourist visas.

Alms Fund is a fund in which collections of zakah are deposited. Zakah is a kind of wealth tax levied on Muslims as a religious obligation, and the money raised under the system would be used, in accord with the directions of Islam and in general, for helping those who are in need of financial help.