Islamic Affairs Ministry enforces 12 key rules for donation collections in Mosques

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has mandated controls and conditions for charitable associations to collect donations in mosques during the holy month of Ramadan, in coordination with the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Importantly, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, in an administrative circular from Undersecretary Dr. Badr Al-Mutairi to mosque department directors, outlined 12 key guidelines for collecting donations during Ramadan.

Notably, donations must be collected exclusively through bank deductions and K-Net devices, and representatives of charitable societies are prohibited from speaking inside mosques to avoid disturbing worshippers.

The circular stated that, in line with the annual agreement between the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and the Ministry of Social Affairs regarding donation collection in mosques during Ramadan, the following measures were agreed upon to ensure the charitable work is carried out in the most efficient manner.

1. Donations may be collected through bank deductions and K-Net devices only.
2. The mosque Imam must be notified of the visit by the association representatives through the donation collector authorized by the beneficiary.
3. Representatives of charitable associations and entities authorized to collect donations are not permitted to speak inside mosques to give introductory speeches about the association or its projects, in order to avoid disturbing the worshippers.
4. Each association shall place portable and independent advertisements, licensed by the Ministry of Social Affairs, at the entrance or along the back wall of the mosque, ensuring they do not distract worshippers in accordance with the fatwa of the Ministry’s Fatwa Committee. The association must remove the advertisements at the end of the allocated period.
5. Advertisements calling for the collection of donations are not to be placed on the walls of mosques, either inside or outside, except for those authorized by the Ministry of Social Affairs in accordance with the license granted by the Ministry.
6. It is strictly forbidden for representatives of charitable societies to collect cash donations in any form. In case of a violation, the Ministry of Social Affairs must be notified.
7. It is strictly forbidden to place piggy banks and money boxes in mosques.
8. Donation representatives must display their unified IDs, issued by the Ministry of Social Affairs, while inside the mosque.
9. The mosque Imam has no right to prevent authorized associations and organizations from collecting donations in the mosque, except in the event of a violation of the announced schedule and instructions issued in this regard.
10. Mosque imams are not entitled to collect donations for any charitable project or to issue permits for establishing charitable projects for the benefit of any party.
11. In the event of any violations of the previously mentioned rules and regulations, they should be reported through the Ministry of Islamic Affairs’ Mosque Services in the “Sahel” program.
12. Charitable associations and entities authorized to collect donations must adhere to the special schedule.

Source: Al Rai