Srinagar: As Ramadan gathers pace and charitable giving surges, the spotlight this year is not only on generosity but also on governance. Across neighbourhoods, mosques and community groups, zakat collections are rising but so is a broader conversation about transparency, fairness and the long-term impact of seasonal charity.
Ramadan has always been a month of intensified compassion. The Qur’an identifies zakat as a structured obligation, not optional benevolence. “Zakat expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy…” (Qur’an 9:60), it states, outlining clear categories of beneficiaries. In principle, the framework is precise. In practice, however, implementation often relies on informal networks and trust.
Groceries are distributed. Rent is quietly paid. School fees are settled. Medical bills are covered. For many low-income families struggling with rising prices and uncertain employment, this relief is immediate and indispensable.
Yet questions persist. How are funds accounted for? Are collections audited? Do the same households receive assistance repeatedly while others remain invisible? Without structured record-keeping, duplication in some areas and neglect in others becomes a real risk.
Islamic tradition places as much emphasis on integrity as on generosity. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned administrators of charity to exercise strict honesty, reminding them that public funds are a trust (amanah). Charity in Islam is not merely emotional; it is institutional. Historically, zakat systems were designed with oversight, documentation and distribution mechanisms.
Modern realities, however, complicate that legacy. In many places, Ramadan giving remains decentralised managed by committees, local volunteers, or individual donors. While this grassroots model reflects community spirit, it can lack transparency safeguards that protect both donors and recipients.
Social policy experts note another challenge: the seasonality of giving. Zakat peaks during Ramadan but poverty does not. Food insecurity, debt cycles and healthcare burdens extend well beyond the holy month. While charity cushions hardship, it cannot substitute structural reform, employment generation or stable welfare systems.
This has prompted some civic voices to call for reforms that strengthen trust without undermining faith. Suggestions include voluntary public disclosures by large charitable bodies, digital tracking of disbursements, and better coordination between community networks and welfare databases. The aim is not to bureaucratise compassion, but to protect it.
The Qur’an cautions believers not to nullify charity through reminders of generosity (2:264), underscoring dignity and sincerity. But sincerity alone does not eliminate the need for systems. In fact, systems safeguard sincerity.
Ramadan undoubtedly amplifies compassion. The deeper question is whether it can also deepen accountability. Charity moves hearts; governance builds structures. If both work together, Ramadan giving can evolve from seasonal relief into sustained social resilience.
In a month devoted to moral introspection, perhaps the most powerful act of generosity is not only giving but ensuring that giving is just, transparent and lasting.
