The Presidency of Religious Affairs [Diyanet] once again determined the Fitrah amount as 16 Turkish Liras by considering the minimum amount of food needed per person for a day. The determination of the Fitrah also showed how the minimum wage is far below of livelihood standards.

NGO representatives and Citizens, stating that there is a mismatch between the minimum wage and the rate of the Fitrah amount, indicate that the minimum wage below the hunger limit should be increased.

Ramazan Azboy, HAKSIAD Chairman of the Board of Directors stated that the figure stated by the Presidency of Religious Affairs in Turkiye is a question mark in the mind while the minimum wage is ?1,400 [$394] in Turkiye emphasized that the minimum wage is below the livelihood standards.

Recalling that the rate of Fitrah in 2017 was announced as 16 TL by the Diyanet Azboy said, “Comparing with the Fitrah amount determined with Diyanet which one of the institution of the state, the income of a family with 4 people should be ?1,900. With the explanation of the Diyanet which is an official institution, we see how the minimum wage is too below. According to this statement, it appears that the minimum wage areas are in a position that cannot give Fitrah. The state should step in at the minimum wage point.”

Citizens also reacted to the incompatibility between the minimum wage and the fitrah amount.

Burhan Bilge defended that the amount of the fitrah is high, saying, “If the amount of the fitrah is equal to 900 TL, there is a deficit of 500 TL. The account is wrong or correct, but the people are being paid the missing fee.”

Bilge said that the minimum wage is too low to cover the needs of a family of 4 members and that the minimum wage should be raised.

Abdullah Atlibatur stated that fitrah is the most beautiful example of social solidarity of Islam and expressed that this responsibility must be fulfilled absolutely.

Atlibatur also spoke about the determination of fitrah amount by Diyanet said, “Everybody should make an account of his inner world. How many TL per day are you satisfied with? A minimum amount must be specified. What is a day's work? They have to be calculated and accordingly a minimum fee amount has to be determined.”

Müfit Kültaş, also said, ”According to this explanation, a person working with a minimum wage should not give fitrah. The minimum wage is ? 404. It's below the hunger limit. In fact, it should be more than a thousand 900 TL.”

Erdal Özateş also noted that the amount of the fitrah that the Diyanet had determined revealed once again the lack of minimum wage. (M. Sıddık Bilge, M. Hüseyin Temel - ILKHA)