News
February 7, 2026
The Al-Rakeezeh Foundation for Relief and Development, in cooperation with the Iraqi Council of Scholars and with support from Al-Khair Foundation, organized the conference “Zakat Management: A Contemporary Sharia and Technical Approach,” at the Al-Yarmouk Hotel Hall on the Karkh side of the capital Baghdad, with wide attendance from scholars from across the Islamic world, academics, representatives of humanitarian institutions, and members of the Iraqi government and parliament.
The opening session witnessed early attendance reflecting the growing interest in the zakat file as a fundamental pillar in the system of social justice. The opening speeches included representatives of the organizing bodies, as well as representatives of the International Union of Muslim Scholars and numerous charitable and international institutions keen to participate in the conference.
The organization of this conference comes within the framework of Al-Rakeezeh Foundation’s endeavor to develop zakat work in Iraq, transitioning it from the traditional framework to an institutional system based on governance, transparency, and the utilization of modern technologies.
The conference included the presentation of twenty peer-reviewed scientific papers, distributed across two main sessions. The first addressed foundational jurisprudential issues related to the rulings of zakat, its expenditure channels, and investment controls, while the second session focused on contemporary challenges, including zakat on digital currencies, legal regulation, and the potential of employing modern technologies to enhance the efficiency of zakat management.
The conference also reviewed a number of international experiences in zakat management, including Malaysia, Turkey, and Tunisia, with the aim of benefiting from successful models in linking zakat to sustainable development programs and empowering eligible groups.
The conference outcomes affirmed that zakat represents an integrated system combining the devotional and economic dimensions, and that activating its role requires developing management mechanisms and enhancing integration between Sharia institutions, executive bodies, and technical expertise.
In a practical step considered among the most prominent outcomes of the conference, Al-Rakeezeh Foundation announced the launch of the “Iraqi Zakat Platform” as the first digital platform specialized in zakat awareness and calculation according to an approved Sharia methodology, supervised personally by His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Mahmoud Abdul Aziz Al-Ani, Secretary-General of the Iraqi Council of Scholars, ensuring the accuracy and discipline of its rulings according to recognized jurisprudential principles.
The platform provides an advanced zakat calculator covering a number of zakatable assets, along with digital reporting services and electronic payment options, contributing to facilitating the performance of this obligation and enhancing the confidence of zakat payers, especially in light of rapid digital transformation.
The conference concluded by affirming the importance of continuing joint work between scholars, institutions, and experts to develop the zakat sector in Iraq and transform it into an effective tool for achieving development and social justice.
All conference activities and research papers have been published via the website of the Iraqi Zakat Platform, making them available to researchers and interested parties throughout the Islamic world.
