ABOUT US

What is CanadaZakat?

CanadaZakat started over a decade ago as a visionary initiative by a small group of dedicated DawaNet volunteers. Sometimes referred to as Canada’s first-ever official dedicated local Zakat Assistance Program, CanadaZakat continues to collaborate with stakeholders to benefit our communities and country.

Our founding team realized that most of our Zakat dollars are spent to help victims of crises in the developing world. While helping people in need wherever they may be is central to our faith, and there is no denying the huge and growing need overseas, the actual purpose of Zakat is to uplift and empower starting from those who are closest to us, both in relationship as well as in terms of distance (the need within our extended families,and our local neighbourhoods and communities). There were and are many Canadian Relief Charities helping to address international causes but not enough focused on helping Zakat eligible individuals locally.

That is why we started CanadaZakat!

The 2nd righteous Caliph `Umar Al-Khattab (R.A), is reported to have said that ‘Zakat is to be taken from the rich of a people and spent on the poor / needy of the (same) people.’

It is our understanding that those deserving of our Zakat and Sadaqa first are the ones who live in the same country, neighbourhood and society as us.

The goal at CanadaZakat is to ensure excellence and efficiency by ensuring that your Zakat gets to those who need it the most within our local community.

The Numbers

Thanks to your trust and support over the past decade, CanadaZakat has collected and distributed over $1.2 Million Dollars to Zakat and Sadaqa eligible individuals and Programs.

We endeavor to control our overall program overheads under 12.5%. Note: When it comes to administrative overheads, there is no maximum ‘percentage’ which has been prescribed by Islamic texts. The onus is on Zakat Organizations and Administrators to maintain a high level of transparency and trust and exercise the utmost caution in ensuring that funds are utilized as efficiently as possible for the purpose(s) they were given. That is, Zakat must be spent only on Zakat eligible causes (as per the 8 categories of Zakat outlined in the Qur’an). See Surah At-Tawbah (9:60).

Distribution Process

Our Zakat Distribution Committee examines the Zakat Applications using a carefully developed and detailed eligibility criteria. This helps us to ensure that your Zakat goes to help those cases where the impact is the greatest. More details on this coming soon.