Zakat in Bangladesh:
Where we started.
Our first Zakat campaign: a one-time distribution in Bangladesh. The way we verify a recipient and document a handover today was worked out here, and we have used it in every program since.
◷This program is archived. The Bangladesh Zakat campaign is complete and closed. Learn about our ongoing Zakat programs →
Final Impact
Campaign results
$12,600
Zakat Distributed
84
Recipient Families
$150
Per-Family Average
100%
Verification Rate
Program History
How we learned to do this
Before Jabal Foundation could run anything long-term, we had to know we could carry out a Zakat distribution correctly, and show donors the same. That meant checking every recipient against the eight Quranic asnaf and keeping a record of each distribution, without exception.
The Bangladesh campaign was that proof. Working through a trusted community partner in Dhaka and Sylhet, we identified 84 eligible Zakat-recipient families. Each one was verified through income documentation, attestation from the community, and review by a scholar. Each family received a direct cash transfer averaging $150.
The paperwork built for Bangladesh (intake form, eligibility checklist, distribution receipt, photo confirmation) became the template for every Jabal Foundation distribution since. It sits in our internal Zakat distribution protocol, which we review once a year.
How eligibility was verified
- 01.Income documentation reviewed (or community elder attestation where documentation is unavailable)
- 02.Cross-checked against known wealthy families to exclude (fuqara vs. ghani standard)
- 03.Reviewed by local imam or scholar for asnaaf compliance
- 04.Recipient signs or thumbprints distribution receipt
- 05.Photo of distribution submitted to the Jabal board
The Legacy
Our Zakat work continues in three programs
Bangladesh was a one-time distribution, but Zakat is still at the center of what we do. Zakat funds now move through our General Distribution, Entrepreneur Fund, and Monthly Stipend programs, verified to the same standard we set in Bangladesh.