Today’s viva

At the beginning of the day on 26 August, I had the great honor of supervising my student as he successfully and distinguishedly defended his thesis. The thesis, entitled “The Educational Dimension in the Strategies for Distributing Zakat Fund Revenues in the United Arab Emirates to Achieve Community Development,” examines the educational dimension of strategies for distributing zakat revenues managed by the Zakat Fund in the United Arab Emirates.

The study views zakat as an instrument that extends beyond financial relief to encompass human development and the cultivation of beneficiaries’ awareness. It is grounded in the perspective that the true impact of zakat should be measured by its ability to generate sustainable behavioral and social change among beneficiaries.

The significance of the study lies in highlighting the educational function of zakat, an aspect that has received relatively limited attention in the existing literature, which has predominantly focused on the jurisprudential or economic dimensions of zakat. The study also offers practical value by examining the experience of the UAE Zakat Fund as an institutional model that can be further developed to promote sustainable community development.

The study addresses the concern that zakat distribution practices may remain confined to short-term relief without systematically investing in the educational dimension that can empower beneficiaries. This raises important questions regarding the extent to which the Fund utilizes zakat as a means of building awareness and promoting self-reliance rather than fostering dependency.

Methodologically, the study employed a descriptive-analytical approach alongside a field survey approach. Data were collected from official documents of the Zakat Fund and interviews with its staff, while qualitative analytical tools were employed to identify educational patterns embedded within its distribution policies.

The findings revealed an integrative relationship between the educational dimension of zakat and the sustainability of its social impact, particularly when financial assistance is linked to education, empowerment, and guidance. The findings also demonstrated that investing in beneficiaries’ awareness can reduce recurring dependency and enhance long-term social integration.

The study contributes to the development of an applied model that integrates the educational dimension into the zakat distribution cycle, transforming zakat from a temporary relief mechanism into a sustainable human development instrument. It further identifies institutional components, partnerships, and evaluation mechanisms that can support this transformation within the UAE context.

I am truly proud of my student and deeply grateful to have been part of this academic journey. I wish him continued success and excellence in his future academic and professional endeavors.