Frequently asked questions

By a published process: registration at a branch, a household assessment, a need score out of 270 points, a decision by the branch supervisor, and payment by head office. Emergencies can be fast-tracked with evidence. The 'How it works' page explains every step.

Nisab is the minimum wealth you must hold before Zakat is due: the value of 85 g of gold or 595 g of silver. The Commission's published rules say which one applies, and the calculator converts it to birr with gold and silver prices updated every morning. The 'How it works' page shows the rules in force today.

According to the majority of scholars, yes — Zakat is due on gold and silver whether worn or stored, calculated on the fine-metal weight once the Nisab and a full lunar year (Hawl) are met.

You pay by scanning a QR code with any Ethiopian bank app. The money goes straight into the Commission's account at Cooperative Bank of Oromia, the payment is matched to the bank's own record, and you get a numbered certificate anyone can verify on the 'How it works' page.

Each household is registered at a branch, checked for duplicates, visited by a field officer and scored against a published points table. The branch supervisor approves it, head office adds it to the pool, and support is paid only to a bank account checked with the bank. Every step is recorded.

Zakat is an annual obligation distributed to eligible recipients. Waqf is a perpetual endowment — the principal is preserved and invested, and only its returns are spent, so it keeps giving indefinitely.

Payments currently go through Ethiopian bank apps by QR code. If you live abroad but hold an Ethiopian bank account with a mobile app, you can pay the same way.