RIYADH: At the end of Ramadan, the Saudi government’s Zakaty charity platform announced it had received more than SR1 billion ($266 million) in donations since launching nine years ago.
The platform was developed by the country’s Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, and allows people to make charitable donations directly to beneficiaries.
Zakat donations are one of the five obligatory pillars of Islam, requiring all Muslims who meet a minimum threshold to give 2.5 percent of their wealth to the needy.
Charitable donations often surge during the holy month of Ramadan as worshippers endeavor to practice good deeds.
The platform also sees an annual uptick in donations as Eid Al-Fitr nears, with the faithful donating the mandatory Zakat Al-Fitr, the equivalent of 2.5 kg to 3 kg of staple food that must be paid before the Eid prayer.
The Zakat authority has made efforts to develop an integrated system that allows people to make their contributions easily and securely through reliable channels, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Having passed the SR1 billion milestone this Ramadan, the success of the platform reflects a high level of community awareness and trust.
The authority’s spokesman, Hamoud Al-Harbi, told the SPA that the Zakaty platform represents an advanced model in employing technology to serve the third pillar of Islam.
He explained how Zakaty provides a smart calculator for various types of Zakat, including cash, gold, silver, stocks, investment funds, real estate and others.
The platform has multiple secure payment options, in addition to the Zakat time reminder feature, which makes it easier for users.
Al-Harbi added that reaching the milestone reflects the success of concerted efforts in promoting digital transformation in the Zakat sector, supporting the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in building an integrated digital economy and enabling social solidarity through innovation.
