Observation

Quite a number of candidates that went for this question performed creditably in their responses. Most of them also highlighted the beneficiaries of Zakāt as contained in Qur’ān Chapter 9 verse 60. Majority of these candidates dwelled more on the benefits of Zakāt and Ṣadaqah to individuals without discussing those benefits that go the Community as a whole. Some of the important benefits missed out include the establishment of Waqf (endowment), establishment of institutions of learning, training the poor in beneficial trade, assistance to victims of a disaster and scholarship for qualified Muslim students from the proceeds of Zakāt and Ṣadaqah. As hinted at from the beginning, those who can also benefit from the two charitable funds, according Q.9:60, are the orphan, the wayfarer, the debtor, people in bondage, new converts to Islam and those employed to collect and distribute the proceeds of these funds.