Despite ban, JuD asks for Ramadan donations

The banned Jamaat-ud Dawa has speeded up its campaign of collecting donations via social networking during the holy month of Ramadan. To collect zakat and sadaqa al-fitra the JuD has turned to Twitter and Facebook.

Zakat is an Islamic concept of tithing and alms. Muslims, who have wealth remaining over the year, must pay a certain percentage to aid those in need.  While it can be paid anytime during the year, many people prefer to pay it during Ramadan.

Sadaqa al-fitra also known as Zakatul-fitra is a small amount of food to be given in charity at the end of Ramadan, before the Eid prayer. Unlike Zakat, the Sadaqa al-fitra is to be paid equally by every Muslim man, woman and child at the end of Ramadan. It is equivalent to 2.5 kilogram of wheat.

The JuD through its official Twitter account has appealed to Muslims for donations. A message on its Twitter page reads, 'Knowledge, practice, dawah and jihad'. The banned outfit has 2,197 followers on Twitter and 3,411 tweets have been posted so far.     

The donation-collection campaign is also run through Facebook with the JuD asking people to help the organisation during the holy month of Ramadan. "Dear friends, brothers and sisters! You may contact us for donations, we will ensure that our representative reaches you physically to collect zakat and fitra for the ongoing Falah-e-Insaniyat -- FIF projects. You may inbox us for queries regarding donations: Jazkallah," reads a message on the social networking website. 

On July 21, Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik had warned against unregistered organisations to avoid collecting fitra in the month of Ramadan and ordered the police and law enforcement agencies to keep a strict eye on such activities. Malik said that the government would not allow any organisation to set up camps and collect fitra.

"Any social and welfare organisation willing to collect fitra has to apply and acquire permission from the government, otherwise no one will be allowed to indulge in these activities," he said.  

"Everyone knows that when the UNSC placed sanctions on the JuD, we went to the court against the ban and the Lahore high court had decreed in our favour, categorically saying that the JuD is not a banned organisation", Express Tribune quoted Khalid Waleed, the chief coordinator of JuD's political cell, as saying.