Surabaya. Cheng Hoo Mosque, a mosque established by Chinese-Indonesian Muslims in Surabaya, is distributing Rp 500,000 ($9,522,720 total) in zakat to each of 32,000 registered recipients during Ramadan.

The large-scale charity program has drawn thousands of applicants. Organizers recorded around 32,000 beneficiaries this year, bringing the total disbursement to Rp 16 billion. To prevent overcrowding, the distribution has been staggered over 12 days, with approximately 3,000 recipients scheduled each day.

The mosque, known for its ancient Chinese architectural design and dominant maroon color scheme, has seen long queues forming daily in its courtyard.

“The zakat distribution program during Ramadan runs 12 times, and today marks the third day,” said Abdullah Nirawi, chairman of the mosque’s foundation, on Sunday.

He added that the number of recipients has doubled compared to last year, reflecting rising demand for assistance. Of the total beneficiaries, 30,000 are Surabaya residents, while 2,000 others are registered at Cheng Hoo mosques in Banyuwangi, Pandaan, Jember, and Malang.

The zakat program is being conducted in coordination with local authorities, particularly in verifying recipient data and ensuring orderly distribution.

Many beneficiaries expressed relief, citing rising prices of staple goods during Ramadan.

“This is my first time receiving zakat from Cheng Hoo Mosque. I will use the money to buy food for breaking the fast,” said Ningsih, an elderly resident living near the mosque.

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