Sending Zakat & Sadaqah to Pakistan: A Verified Process

The diaspora Zakat problem, stated plainly

Three things consistently go wrong when overseas Pakistanis try to disburse Zakat in Pakistan:

• Recipient eligibility is unclear. Relatives say "give it to so-and-so", but you don't know if that person genuinely qualifies under the eight asnaf categories laid out in Surah At-Tawbah 9:60.
• No proof of delivery. Money is sent and the chain ends in a WhatsApp message saying "delivered". For an obligatory act of worship, that's thin.
• Large fees on small disbursements. International charity aggregators charge transaction and admin fees that meaningfully reduce what actually reaches the recipient.

Orvone's charity service exists because diaspora donors kept asking for the same three things: verified recipients, proof of delivery, transparent costs.

How the verified-disbursement flow works

1. You tell us the type and amount. Zakat / Sadaqah / Fitrana / Fidya / Qurbani / Kaffara — and the total amount in PKR or your local currency.
2. We propose a recipient shortlist. Local field agents identify potential recipients in your chosen city. Each profile includes household situation, why they qualify under shariah, and the proposed allocation.
3. You approve. If you have a preferred orphan, widow, or family to support, we use yours. Otherwise you pick from the shortlist.
4. We disburse. In cash, groceries, school fees, medical bills, or rations — whatever fits the recipient's actual need.
5. We send proof back. Photo, short video, or signed receipt depending on the recipient's comfort level. For amounts above ~PKR 50,000, we always include video.

The eight Quranic categories — what we check

Surah At-Tawbah 9:60 lays out eight categories of eligible Zakat recipients. We verify each shortlisted recipient against these:

• Fuqara — the absolute poor, no means of sustenance
• Masakin — those whose earnings don't cover basic needs
• Aamileen — those employed to administer Zakat (not used in our flow)
• Mu'allafat al-Quloob — those whose hearts are to be reconciled (limited applicability today)
• Riqab — freeing those in bondage (historical category, modern use limited to debt bondage)
• Gharimin — those buried in debt
• Fi Sabilillah — in the cause of Allah (scholars differ; we restrict this conservatively)
• Ibn al-Sabil — stranded travellers

For uncertain cases — particularly Fi Sabilillah disbursements — we route through registered charities so a qualified scholar makes the call, not us.

What Zakat usually looks like in practice

Diaspora Zakat disbursements through Orvone in the past year roughly broke down as:

• Direct cash to widow-headed households — ~35%. Verified through local mosque imam or female field agent.
• Monthly groceries / rations — ~22%. Same family, recurring 6-12 month commitment.
• School fees for orphan children — ~18%. Paid directly to the school, with receipts.
• Medical bills — ~14%. Paid directly to the hospital or pharmacy.
• Lump-sum to registered charities — ~11%. Edhi, Saylani, JDC, Shaukat Khanum, Indus Hospital.

Fitrana, Fidya, Qurbani — quick reference

• Fitrana — given before Eid-ul-Fitr prayers. Usually PKR 300-500 per family member (wheat equivalent) in 2026. We collect from you and distribute in grain or cash before the Eid prayer.
• Fidya — for missed fasts that can't be made up due to age or illness. PKR ~300 per fast, distributed to the needy.
• Qurbani — on Eid-ul-Adha. Coordinated with verified local butchers, with meat distributed across three shares (family, relatives, needy). Photo and video proof returned. Price range for a goat/sheep was PKR 50,000-90,000 in 2025; expect similar plus inflation in 2026.
• Kaffara — expiation for deliberately broken fasts. Either 60 consecutive days of fasting or feeding 60 needy people. We coordinate the feeding option.

Fees and transparency

Orvone charges a small, fixed coordination fee per disbursement — not a percentage. For Zakat specifically, the entire principal must reach eligible recipients per shariah, so the coordination fee is billed separately on top of (not deducted from) your Zakat amount.

For Sadaqah and other non-obligatory donations, you can choose either flow.

Frequently Asked Questions