Sohar:The Zakat Fund at Bahrain's Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Waqf participated in the fourth Zakat Conference and Exhibition, organized by Oman's Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs. The conference, held in Sohar, focused on the theme "Zakat: From Governance to Sustainability - Integration that Enhances Impact and Excellence that Builds Trust."
According to Bahrain News Agency, the event gathered over 600 participants, including members of zakat committees, researchers, and specialists from nine Gulf, Arab, and international countries. Bahrain's Zakat Fund was represented by its Director, Salah Hussein Haidar, who presented a research paper titled "Envisioning the Future of Zakat Institutions towards a Sustainable Developmental Zakat Model."
The paper explored the changing role of zakat institutions, emphasizing a shift from traditional assistance to promoting empowerment and sustainable development. It also discussed moving from merely managing zakat funds to assessing and measuring their developmental impact.
The research highlighted the need to expand economic empowerment programs, advance digital transformation, make use of artificial intelligence and data analytics, and develop mechanisms for measuring the sustainable impact of zakat initiatives. These measures aim to enhance the economic independence and living standards of beneficiaries.
Additionally, the paper addressed the importance of strengthening integration and partnerships among Gulf zakat institutions. It suggested the development of a unified Gulf guide for measuring developmental impact, which would help establish a Gulf zakat model incorporating governance, digital transformation, empowerment, impact measurement, and strategic partnerships.