Srinagar, March 25 -- Zakat, one of the fundamental pillars of Islam, is not merely a charitable act-it is a divinely mandated right (HAQQ.) of the poor upon the wealth of the affluent. The Qur'an clearly outlines its recipients in Surah At-Tawbah (9:60), placing the poor (FUQRA) and needy (MASAKIN) at the forefront. This emphasis reflects the primary objective of Zakat: to alleviate poverty and ensure social justice. However, in many regions today particularly in areas with a dense network of religious institutions such as Darul Uloom's a critical question arises Is Zakat still reaching the poor in society, or is it increasingly being absorbed by institutions Over time, a strong culture has developed where people prefer to give their Zak...