I read the news in the National daily, the Hindustan Times, New Delhi, August 09, 2012 (“After Baby Boy, Desperate Mom Tries to Sell Daughter”). The news item was not adequately highlighted as it has become the way of life in our country. But I had to lower my head in shame. I recollected the earlier incident involving the same woman when she had sold her eight months old son for only Rs. 62/50. This time she tried to sell her eight year old daughter for another paltry sum. Name of the woman is Shannu Khatun and she is from Araria (Bihar). The news item this time as well as earlier clearly mentioned that the woman was unable to support herself and her children. So, she was forced to sell the children to save them from starvation. Thankfully, the girl was rescued. Otherwise there was strong possibility that she could have landed up in some brothel or she was kept as a slave to do household chorus in some rich household. After all, the person, Ramchandra Rishideo of Nepal who bought her was not going to adopt her as his daughter or so.


I felt ashamed because the woman was a Muslim and belonged to Araria in Bihar. I am not very well aware of the population structure of the Araria town. I had heard about the town from my deceased uncle who was posted there about ten years back as Dist. Auditor. Also, taking into account the general pattern of population in the region I am sure there must be sufficient number of Muslims in the town and surrounding areas and a substantial number of the Muslims should be of the financial status for whom Zakaat should be obligatory. With this background, if a Muslim woman had to sell her children for paltry sums, it reflects on the entire Muslim community of the area.

I can conclude either of the two:

The first conclusion is that Muslims who are supposed to pay Zakaat are not fulfilling their obligations honestly. I have come across cases where people, who are millionaires, paid 500, 1000 or so to one or more Madarsaas once a while and considered that their obligations were fulfilled. That too they do because some 'Safirs' from the Madarsaas arrive at their doorstep. The other conclusion is that people do pay adequate Zakaat. But they do it the easiest way. They pay the amount to street beggars or beggars sitting outside Dargaahs, mosques etc. irrespective of the fact that they are professional beggars. Most of them do begging as profession. Another way in which people pay Zakaat is to give the amount to the Safirs of Madarsaas. No one will be against that. After all, the Madarssas do need support for their survival. But many a times the amount is given to Madarsaas about which we have no idea whether they exist and if so what is their strength and activities. I have personally encountered Safirs from Bihar, West Bengal etc. in Gurgaon. They carry a Receipt Book, one or two Letters of Authorization signed by ‘someone’ and some Photographs. On the basis of the same people pay the Zakaat to them. Interesting is the fact that they come from places like Kishanganj, Barsoi, Purnea, Bhagalpur, Murshidabad, Patna etc., all of which have large percentage of Muslim population and substantial numbers of them are well off, on whom Zakaat will be obligatory. But the Safirs travel more than 1000 km to collect contributions from Delhi, Gurgaon, Faridabad etc. for the Madarsaas. These places do not have high percentage of Muslim households. More importantly there are local Madarsaas etc. which deserve the support first. Still, the Safirs arrive in hordes, especially during Ramazaan.  How much money they spend on travelling and logistics etc. can be easily estimated. The question is why they do not work in their own area? One apprehension that comes to my mind is that those Madarsaas may be only in the ‘bags’ carried by the Safirs. Another possibility is that the institutions are too small and ill-equipped to attract attention of local people. People outside pay in good faith. Chances are that the money is wasted. I am confident that everyone is aware of the fact that these Safirs collect contributions on Commission basis and these days the percentage of Commission has risen to 60% or so. That is the reason that large numbers of these Safirs are whole-timers. Round the year they do only collection and nothing else. Also, incidents have been reported in media about Non-Muslims carrying Receipt etc. in the name of non-existent Madarsaas to collect funds. Still people give their Zakaat money to those Safirs. There are two reasons for the same. One, that they are ignorant of the instructions of Qur’an, and another because that is the easiest path. The ‘Safirs’ arrive at their doorstep or can be easily located in the mosques, especially after the Friday Prayers. They just handover the money to them and feel relieved.

But, in both the instances the obligation of Zakaat cannot be considered fulfilled. It has been made adequately clear that we have to pay Zakaat which is obligatory, if we have adequate surplus assets/wealth. In today's situation the valuation will work out to a little more than Rs One Lakh. Hundreds of Muslim families will be there in most cities and towns on which Zakaat will be obligatory. The second direction is: "Wazil Qurbaa, Wal Yataamaa, Wal Masaakeen...........". We are supposed to find those who are close to us and are needy. They may be in our own family, among relatives or in the neighbourhood. They should be provided first. Next priority is for the Orphans, who need financial assistance. Finally, the general poor find place in the list. I agree that the Madarsaas are generally populated by children from poor families, who are unable to send them to formal schools. But that does not give them priority over the first two categories as mentioned in Qur'an.                                        

Obviously people of the Araria town have not been obeying the instructions given in Qur’an. Otherwise the woman had not to sell her two children. The people of Araria could have easily provided money meant for Zakaat, Fitraa, Sadqaa etc. and she could support the family without any problem. That is the purpose of Zakaat, Fitraa and Sadqaa etc.

Here we need to analyse one more aspect. Most of the Muslims recite Qur’an regularly and in Ramazaan the intensity and frequency is much more. There are people who finish entire Qur’an at least once during the Ramazaan. Many finish the recitation of Qur’an twice, thrice or even more times. The intention is to collect Thawaab, which they must be receiving. But the purpose of Qur’an is not only to receive Thawaab. Qur’an is a complete guide to for us to lead our life on day to day basis. The problem is that we recite the Qur’an in Arabic. But most of us do not understand the lessons/instructions given there. Reason is that we do not understand the meaning/sense, as we do not learn Arabic as a language. To facilitate the same various scholars have translated Qur’an in the languages we understand. There is no such language on the Earth in which translation of Qur’an is not available. Also, Tafaseer (explanations) are available in all languages. There those minute points are explained which do not become clear in translations.

We need to understand Qur’an while reciting it. For that we need to read the translation and Tafseer. Only then we can lead our life as ordained by Allah and suggested by Prophet SAW. Only then the actual purpose of Zakaat, Fitraa, Sadqaa etc. and other obligations will be clear to us and we will be able to fulfill our duties in the desired manner.   
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* Dr. M.A. Haque retired as a top officer in government of India. He lives in Palam Vihar, Gurgaon-122017. He can be contacted at asrarulhaque@hotmail.com