Maldives Ministry of Islamic Affairs confirmed the payments of Zakat (Fitr-ul-Zakat) for 2020 will be received online from Greater Male' Region in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Zakat is an Islamic finance term, which refers to the obligation of able Muslims to donate certain proportion of their wealth each year for charitable causes - or for the poor.

It is a mandatory process, deemed sacred, in Islamic religion and its practice and regarded as a form of worship.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs confirmed the able individuals, donating for Zakat can pay through Ooredoo Maldives' m-Faisaa, DhiraaguPay and online banking portals from Bank of Maldives (BML) and Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB).

The ministry have urged all the other island councils to facilitate the Zakat receivables.

Moreover, the ministry confirmed conventional mode of Zakat collection will be carried from their authority's venue only if the lockdown lifts.