Islamic leader urges allocating religious donations to quake relief

Shia Muslims regularly pay Khums, a type of tax in the Islamic tradition which is collected by religious authorities.

The Office of Ayatollah Sistani in a statement announced that he sympathizes with the bereaved families and victims affected by the quake in western Iran and pray for the injured to recover soon.

The followers of Ayatollah Sistani can allocate part of the required religious obligation to earthquake relief aid, the statement said.

More than 530 people have been killed and thousands more injured following the 7.3 magnitude earthquake which jolted western Iran on Sunday evening.

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