27 July 2014
Rice selling and re-trading business is brisk in the Kingdom, with thousands of citizens and residents starting to purchase rice bags to distribute to poor people as part of Zakat Al-Fitr, the obligatory alms to be distributed ahead of Eid prayer.
Some prominent rice traders are exclusively packing 3 kg rice bags for the purpose of Zakat Al-Fitr and selling them across the Kingdom.
Accurate statistics are not available but an estimated SR300 million is spent on Zakat Al-Fitr rice purchases ahead of Eid. One of the leading rice importers said previously that approximately 65,000-ton rice is sold for Eid Al-Fitr.
The noble practice of Zakat Al-Fitr was initiated by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) during the last days of Ramadan. However, some people have been wrongly practicing it. What they do is to simply purchase bags of rice from African street vendors and give them to African beggars standing nearby.
These rice bags are being sold by outlets from hypermarkets to small grocery stores but street sellers are dominating the scene as donors instantly find beggars standing nearby, which is not the case in the case of shops and markets.
This year, a 3 kg bag of Sella Basmati rice is being sold at SR25 and a 5 kg bag at SR45-55. People are confused by the pricing.
There is a perception that substandard and poor quality rice is packed inside the bags, which is not verified by either donors or receivers.
Mohammed Shalan, a prominent rice trader, holds expatriate workers responsible for taking advantage of the Eid season by filling bags of popular brands with low quality rice.
"I stack all rice bags in my van and drop them at residences of African women, who are both vendors and beggars," said Mohammed Chandmian, a Pakistani mini-van driver. He added that all rice bags will be transported to Mahjar in south Jeddah after Eid where they will be sold. When Arab News asked some African women in Halaq about the utilization of rice donated by people, they kept mum.
The Islamic scholars have two opinions regarding this issue. While most people insist on giving Zakat Al-Fitr in kind, some scholars say it can be paid in cash if it is to the advantage of the beneficiaries.
Rice selling and re-trading business is brisk in the Kingdom, with thousands of citizens and residents starting to purchase rice bags to distribute to poor people as part of Zakat Al-Fitr, the obligatory alms to be distributed ahead of Eid prayer.
Some prominent rice traders are exclusively packing 3 kg rice bags for the purpose of Zakat Al-Fitr and selling them across the Kingdom.
Accurate statistics are not available but an estimated SR300 million is spent on Zakat Al-Fitr rice purchases ahead of Eid. One of the leading rice importers said previously that approximately 65,000-ton rice is sold for Eid Al-Fitr.
The noble practice of Zakat Al-Fitr was initiated by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) during the last days of Ramadan. However, some people have been wrongly practicing it. What they do is to simply purchase bags of rice from African street vendors and give them to African beggars standing nearby.
These rice bags are being sold by outlets from hypermarkets to small grocery stores but street sellers are dominating the scene as donors instantly find beggars standing nearby, which is not the case in the case of shops and markets.
This year, a 3 kg bag of Sella Basmati rice is being sold at SR25 and a 5 kg bag at SR45-55. People are confused by the pricing.
There is a perception that substandard and poor quality rice is packed inside the bags, which is not verified by either donors or receivers.
Mohammed Shalan, a prominent rice trader, holds expatriate workers responsible for taking advantage of the Eid season by filling bags of popular brands with low quality rice.
"I stack all rice bags in my van and drop them at residences of African women, who are both vendors and beggars," said Mohammed Chandmian, a Pakistani mini-van driver. He added that all rice bags will be transported to Mahjar in south Jeddah after Eid where they will be sold. When Arab News asked some African women in Halaq about the utilization of rice donated by people, they kept mum.
The Islamic scholars have two opinions regarding this issue. While most people insist on giving Zakat Al-Fitr in kind, some scholars say it can be paid in cash if it is to the advantage of the beneficiaries.
© Arab News 2014
