It is noteworthy to learn that Doctor uses ‘Zakat’ money to treat patients irrespective of Caste Creed and religion
It is noteworthy to learn that Doctor uses ‘Zakat’ money to treat patients irrespective of Caste Creed and religion.
In accordance to Sharia, only Muslim Community are the beneficiaries of Zakat money. That’s precisely the reason why the doctor took permission from the head of a local mosque prior to using the money to buy medicines for all the communities.
Notably, it is a matter of pride that both doctor and his doctor wife, now provide medicines for common ailments for a paltry amount of Rs.25/- to the p underprivileged families from different communities.
News comes to light that one Nandu Yadav, a BMC contract employee has been visiting
Dr Aqeel Khan’s Bandra clinic for the past four months since his family gets treated there at a nominal cost.
Yadav, 45, is among the 150-odd people who benefits from the clinic daily.
Dr Aqeel Khan, a Bandra based pathologist by profession has been into the use of the Zakat money contributed by members of the Muslim community to treat the poor and the needy notwithstanding the religion of the patient.
According to Maulana Tohid Akhtar, Pesh Imam, Bandra Mosque, by using the ‘Ela Shari’ principle wherein a person or organisation helping the needy is made the beneficiary of the Zakat amount, it can then be utilised for helping people from other communities as well.
What prompted Dr.Khan to use the Zakat money for purchase of medicines to the needy, irrespective of their religion is because, he felt that some members of the community tried to take Zakat money fradulently to buy medicines and for treatment.
Noteworthily, taking out Zakat money from one’s income and savings is one of the pillars of Islam and is a religious duty for all Muslims who meet the necessary criteria for wealth.
A Muslim has to keep aside part of his annual savings and income as Zakat.
As per Sharia, the Zakat money is meant to help the needy persons from the community and is a mandatory charitable contribution, often considered to be a tax.
How did it start?
Dr Khan, who has been running a pathology lab at S V Road for more than 15 years, received a sum of ₹9 lakh Zakat amount from his acquaintances in the United Kingdom (UK) last year. He was told that as there were not many eligible people to receive the amount in that country, and that the amount should be disbursed to the needy Muslims in India.
When word spread that
Dr Khan wants to disburse a Zakat money, many needy persons approached him and after the initial verification, they received the money.
Sources reveal that a couple approached him requesting for a huge amount for their 14-year-old daughter’s cancer treatment. After going through the hospital and medicine bills, Dr Khan gave a substantial amount of the Zakat money to the couple.
After a couple of days,
Dr Khan inquired about the couple and was stunned to know that the couple was well endowed as they owned two flats in the buildings in Bandra. The man also had a business from which he made a decent income, hence the couple was not eligible to get the benefit of the Zakat amount.
On learning about the fraud, he felt guilty about misusing the religious fund intended to help the needy and hence consulted Maulana Tohid Akhtar, the pesh Imam (head of congregation) of the Sunni Mosque outside Bandra station and discussed his dilemma.
The doctor also sought to know whether the remaining amount of Zakat with him could be used to buy medicines for the needy so that only the destitute would benefit. Maulana Akhtar permitted him after which
Dr Khan and his wife
Dr Nasreen Khan started offering medicines at ₹25 at the clinic next to the Badi Masjid at S V Road, Bandra.
Dr. Khan adds that he is relieved of not violating any religious norms by accepting the amount through an NGO which works for the upliftment of the needy, notwithstanding to which religion they belong to.
According to patients, the medicines are very effective and economical. Hence they prefer to visit the clinic rather than consulting other doctors who charge at least ₹300 per consultancy. The patients are usually people who earn less than ₹15,000 a month and some of them who have moved away still prefer to visit the clinic whenever they are unwell and need medication.
A timely visitor of Dr.Khan, Shaukat Shaikh, makes it known that they were living at J J Nagar and used to visit the clinic for cheap medicines. However, after shifting to Kurla last month we realised that consultancy charges of doctors were on the higher side.
Shaukat does odd jobs and doesn’t have a regular income. So, whenever someone falls ill in the family they come this clinic.
The Shaukats express their sincere gratitude to the doctor for providing medicines at affordable rates. A few days back he had to get some medical tests done
The doctor gave him a prescription which he produced at the pathology lab and they did it free for him.
News Input K.V.Raman
