The Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) today stressed that the use zakat (tithe) money to pay the legal costs in cases involving the council was in accordance with Islamic law and the syariah law enforced in the Federal Territory (FT).
Federal Territory Mufti Wan Zahidi Wan Teh said the FT Islamic Law Consultative Committee (JPHSWP) meeting held on Sept 3, 2009 to discuss MAIWP’s budget estimate for 2010, had approved RM205,000 for legal costs under the asnaf fisabilillah (eligible to receive aid from zakat collection for struggling for Islam) category.
“The allocation is necessary as Article 5(2), Section II of the FT Islamic Law Administration Act, 1993 (Act 55) states that the council could legally charge and be charged on its name.
“Besides that, in carrying out its responsibilities, there might be situations where MAIWP has to obtain a court decision such as in claims for the surrender of the bodies of Muslim converts by their non-Muslim family members for burial,” he said in a statement, yesterday.
Wan Zahidi said he made the statement following recent media reports on misuse of zakat money by MAIWP.
Wan Zahidi said: “With regards to putting the council’s legal expenses under asnaf fisabilillah, JPHSWP had applied the opinions of ulama who interpreted asnaf fisabilillah as covering a wider scope and not just for jihad.”
He said among the ulama were Imam Al-Fakhrul Razi and Sheikh Rasyid Rida, with the latter interpreting fisabilillah as “everything that touches on the interests of the Muslim community in administering and enforcing Islamic law”.
“Therefore, I am of the opinion that there has been no misuse of zakat funds as alleged,” he said.
– Bernama
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