13.07.2015 Views

Towards A Unified Zakat System

Towards A Unified Zakat System

Towards A Unified Zakat System

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2.1.4.2 Social, Cultural and political backgroundThe UAE has the highest per capita income in the Gulf.Socially and culturally, the UAE lies somewhere betweenKuwait/Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, although it is much closerto Saudi Arabia. Like Saudi Arabia, the vast majority of thepopulation is Sunnite. It is strongly tribal, but someemirates are less conservative than Saudi Arabia. Otheremirates, including Abu Dhabi, are almost as conservative asSaudi Arabia. Consequently, although the roles of religionand tradition are important in the UAE, they have lessinfluence in Saudi Arabia.The UAE is ruled by a supreme council with one member (theEmir or Sheikh) from each of the eight emirates. Thepolitical system is based on power sharing, with thepresidency going to the Emir of Abu Dhabi and the primeminister to the Emir of Dubai. However, each Emir hasabsolute power within his own emirate.According to the latest statistics of 1994, the UAE had thehighest life expectancy (75.2 years), the lowest infantmortality (17%), the second highest adult literacy rate(79%), and the second highest school enrolment ratio (82%)(UNDP, 1997). In general, the UAE has the second highesthuman development index value (0.86) in the Gulf (Radwan,31

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