THE initiative taken by Egypt's Mufti Ali Gomaa, in allocating a portion of zakat (Islamic alms-giving funds) to finance scientific and medical research, marks a new start in enhancing the contribution of civil society to scientific studies and research. Gomaa, who heads the Islamic charitable foundation, Misr al-Kheir, decided to allocate some of the funds the people donates as zakat to finance studies on treating cancer using nano-gold technology, as well as developing a vaccine against the Hepatitis C virus, the world's highest rates of which are recorded in Egypt. The aim of this step, as the top Muslim cleric stated, is to produce cheap medication for such life-threatening diseases that would be available to poor Egyptians. He has proved to be a progressive thinker in deciding to earmark a portion of the zakat funds for such studies, despite the fact that these funds, according to a clear verse in the Holy Qur'an should be allocated to just eight categories, which do not include scientific studies. However, Gomaa has interpreted that one of these categories, which is to end slavery of people, could be channelled towards producing medicines to end the "slavery" of Egyptian society to some foreign drug companies. These companies control and monopolise certain kinds of medicines and offer them at very high prices not affordable to poor communities. Such open-mindedness should be supported by the State and the public alike. On the one hand, the citizens should direct their zakat to this institution, which is seeking to improve the conditions of the Egyptian society as a whole and not just be satisfied by traditional charity work to provide food and clothes for people in need. On the other, the State should co-operate with this institution and such other non governmental organisations and eliminate all bureaucratic procedures hindering their participation in national projects directly boosting national development.
