JAKARTA, Indonesia
Indonesia’s top religious authority on Friday recommended using the institution of zakat-- obligatory charity and one of the five pillars of Islam – to combat an imminent economic slowdown staring the world in the wake of lockdown enforced by the coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic.
The religious authority asked people to use zakat and infaq – a nonobligatory type of charity given without any expectation of reward – to help poor neighbors, facing economic hardships.
Secretary-General of Indonesian Ulema Council Anwar Abbas said neighbors should be a priority while disbursing either zakat or infaq funds.
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