Tuesday 17 / February / 2026
Muscat: A ceremony titled “Extended Giving” (Ata’a Mumtad) was held on Tuesday, marking the allocation of residential and commercial investment lands in prime locations across various governorates of the Sultanate of Oman for the benefit of Zakat committees and volunteer teams.
The event was held under the auspices of Sultan Salem Al Habsi, Minister of Finance.
This initiative is the result of institutional cooperation between the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, and the Ministry of Social Development. It embodies the integration of government efforts to support sustainable giving initiatives and enhance social impact, reflecting the consolidation of social solidarity values and the role of community institutions in national development.
A total of 66 Zakat committees and 65 volunteer teams will benefit from this initiative, in recognition of their vital role in caring for eligible families and providing social support. The goal is to enable these institutions to generate sustainable self-resources by investing in and developing the granted lands, which will directly benefit the community and contribute to family stability and social cohesion.
Haban Mohammed Al Balushi, Director General of Lands at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, confirmed that the initiative aims to empower Zakat committees and charitable teams to continue their voluntary efforts and community work, thereby enhancing the sustainability of their operations.
He added: “This initiative represents an advanced model of integration between urban planning and social development. Utilizing real estate assets to support community work reflects a strategic direction toward increasing the economic and social impact of land to serve the public interest.”
He further explained that the Ministry was keen to select strategic locations for these lands across different wilayats to maximize sustainable investment opportunities. This will allow the committees and teams to develop projects capable of generating continuous returns to fund their humanitarian activities.
Dr. Mohammed Salim Al Kharousi, Director of the Zakat Department at the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, emphasized that granting these lands is a qualitative step toward strengthening the financial sustainability of Zakat committees. This enables them to develop their resources and invest them to ensure the continuity of their services to eligible groups with efficiency and sustainability.
Furthermore, Hamoud Mardad Al Shabibi, Advisor to the Minister of Social Development for Planning and Acting Director General of Voluntary Work and Civil Society Institutions, stated “Allocating lands for commercial use to volunteer teams will create a qualitative shift in their work. These strategic sites will provide a sustainable income source to fund larger initiatives and serve the community more broadly. Additionally, it will enable teams that do not have permanent headquarters to establish a base, supporting their stability and the development of their operations.”
