This paper examines the role and contribution of zakat, a form of almsgiving to the Muslim community, to alleviating economic difficulties caused by the Covid-19 in Malaysia. Malaysia is one of the earliest countries in Southeast Asia that were affected by Covid-19. In response to the domestic rise in Covid cases, Malaysian government introduced a Movement Control Order (MCO), imposing a negative impact on the entire economy of the people in Malaysia. Zakat institutions in Malaysia may help necessitous persons to overcome the Covid-19 crisis. This research intends to explain the zakat system and its contribution to the Covid-19 crisis in Malaysia. Zakat is one of the fundamental pillars of Islam that has direct economic bearing upon others. It requires Muslims to distribute a part of their wealth among the specified heads in order to achieve economic emancipation of the poor. My research finds that a special aid program of a certain zakat institution provided the following five services; (1) monthly financial assistance, (2) additional special zakat assistance, (3) respiratory assistance to seven hospitals, (4) daily food assistance throughout the MCO, and (5) pillow and mattress assistance for special homeless centre. Among them, (1) and (2) were most frequently used, implying zakat was helpful for the Covid-19 victims.
Hiroshi Oikawa (Sat,) studied this question.
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