What is a jamiya?
The jamiya is an old way to save across Oman, the Gulf and far beyond: a group that trusts each other, a fixed monthly amount, and a turn for everyone.
The idea in two lines
A group agrees on a fixed monthly amount. Every month everyone pays, and one member receives the whole pot. The jamiya runs until every member has had one turn.
An example with numbers
Ten members, each paying OMR 100 a month.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Members | 10 |
| Monthly amount per member | OMR 100 |
| Payout per turn (one member) | OMR 1,000 |
| Length | 10 months |
| Each member pays in total | OMR 1,000 |
| Each member receives in total | OMR 1,000 |
Everyone pays and receives the same amount. Only the timing differs: the first turn is like an interest-free loan from the group, and the last turn is like saving. Work out yours with the calculator.
Why people like it
- No interest and no fees: the money that goes in is the money that comes out.
- It makes you save: the monthly payment is a promise to family and friends.
- It gives you a large sum at once: for travel, a wedding, a car or school fees.
What spoils a jamiya
- Unclear turns: who receives, and when?
- Late payments nobody knows about until the day before the payout.
- Changing the order or the amount midway without everyone agreeing.
- A paper notebook or scattered WhatsApp messages that never show the whole picture.
These are problems of organization, not of trust. That is what the Jamiya app is for: one schedule everyone sees, a record of every payment, and agreement on every change. Read how to organize a family jamiya.
Other names for the same idea
In English it is a ROSCA (rotating savings and credit association). Many residents of Oman call it a committee or BC; Filipino families call it paluwagan. Families across the Gulf and Egypt call it a jamiya (جمعية).
More guides
- How to organize a family jamiyaAn organizer guide for a monthly jamiya or committee: choose members and the amount, set payment and payout days, handle late payments, and keep records.
- Turn order and drawing lotsHow to set the turn order of a monthly savings circle fairly: when to draw lots, when to agree the order, and how to handle shared turns and swaps.
- Is a monthly jamiya halal?The Islamic ruling on the monthly jamiya (savings committee): the Council of Senior Scholars decision, Ibn Baz and Ibn Uthaymeen, the opposing view, and the condition.
- Workplace jamiyaA guide to the office jamiya or committee: choose the organizer, set payment after payday, keep late payments private among colleagues, and handle staff who move.
- Jamiya agreement templateA written monthly jamiya (committee) agreement you can copy: amount, days and order, late payments, leaving early and changes to the plan, with a note on each.