UAE Council for Fatwa Organizes "Zakat on Dates" Event in Collaboration with the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Awqaf, and Zakat

•   The event comes as part of the “Year of Community” initiatives, coinciding with the 2025 date-harvest season.
•   Scholars and national institutions will participate to discuss Islamic legal issues and contemporary innovations related to the zakat on dates.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – 29 September 2025: The UAE Council for Fatwa has announced the organization of a scholarly symposium entitled “Zakat on Dates: Fatwa-Based Rulings and National Efforts… Civilizational Foresight”. The symposium will be held with the participation of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Awqaf, and Zakat, alongside several national bodies.

It will convene on Wednesday, 9 Rabiʿ al-Thani 1447 AH, corresponding to 1 October 2025 CE, at Mawasem Park (Al Samha Green House). This initiative is part of the Council’s “Year of Community” program, in conjunction with the 2025 date-harvest season, and in the context of nationwide efforts aimed at: developing the fatwa issuing system, strengthening integration between religious, economic, and social values, and affirming the state’s commitment to incorporating digital solutions and artificial intelligence into the services provided to the community.

The symposium aims to discuss emerging Islamic legal issues concerning the zakat on dates, raise societal awareness of its rulings and values, in addition to highlighting national efforts in agricultural and food sustainability. It also sheds light on the regulated governance principles and parameters of fatwa issuance adopted by the Council, in a manner that keeps pace with reality and enhances the impact of zakat on development.

A distinguished group of Emirati scholarly and academic figures will take part, together with representatives of relevant national institutions, through a scholarly program addressing the conceptual and maqāṣid-based (higher objectives) vision of zakat on dates, contemporary fatwa issues, as well as institutional efforts and innovative solutions that support the community and serve sustainable development.

In parallel with the symposium, the accompanying exhibition "Shamareekh Al-Tamr" (Date Clusters) will be inaugurated, featuring six main sections: introducing the heritage and sustainability of the palm tree in the UAE, presenting the related Islamic rulings and modern measurement standards, featuring national digital services, highlighting heritage oases and authentic traditions through educational and knowledge-based activities for families and the wider community.

The event will conclude with the announcement of practical outcomes, including the issuance of a statement on the Zakat on Dates nisab (minimum threshold or taxable amount) for the year 2025, a fatwa-based product with the most prominent approved rulings and standards, in addition to the production of a national visual production reflecting the societal values connected with the palm tree and dates—embodying the integration of fatwa and national efforts in the UAE.