By Bukola Hameed
Zakat and Sadaqah Foundation, ZSF, as part of her community service strides, has taken her free water facility to the residents of Ogunse, Atingisi area of Oyo west local government of Oyo state.
Free water facility is an initiative of the foundation which sees to the provision of water to deprived communities.
Mr Qasim Durojaye, who is the state’s admin. officer in his brief speech reminiscenced on the history of the foundation, establishing the power of will and desire to fulfil religious obligation.
He however said “the gift of water saves lives, which is a hugely rewardable action. Allah says in the Qur’an, ‘And whoever saves one [a life] – it is as if he had saved all of mankind’. (Qur’an, 5:32) Imagine this – every single time the clean water you donated saves someone’s life, it is as if you have saved all of mankind!”
Mr Durojaye therefore harped on the necessity of unalloyed alacrity in the fulfilment of the third pillar of Islam, Zakah, and of providing potable water for humanity. According to him, this act is the best charity, a means of express forgiveness and a sure path to salvation.
” The Messenger of Allah (saw) was asked, “Which charity is best?” He replied, “[Providing] water”’. [Abu Dawud].
We use water for everything, from washing dishes to cooking food to growing crops. Allah says in the Qur’an, ‘By means of water, we give life to everything’. (Qur’an, 21:30) .
Communities who don’t have access to clean water face unimaginable hardships, with women and children walking for hours to collect even a little water, and families unable to support themselves due to lack of education and livelihood. Having access to safe water is a basic human right and fulfilling this right is an excellent Sadaqah.”
In his address, the foundation’s Operations Manager, Alhaji Ma’aruf Ahmed established that “not all of us are able to build wells/boreholes for entire communities – but don’t worry, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the rewards!. Your token, if well coordinated and harnessed can ‘shame the rich’ and drill boreholes for communities around this town”.
On his part, Alhaji Ahmad Arowosaye, who commissioned the borehole lauded the temerity of the Zakat and Sadaqah Foundation and her strides to reach out to people, adding that if the wealthy understand the celestial profit of giving out zakat, the world would have been a haven for all and sundry.
Alhaji Arowosaye however promised to work in synergy with the foundation henceforth, having understood the relevance and significance of their objectives and core values.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Tajudeen Balogun, the chairman of the host community in his appreciation thanked the facilitator, the donour and the foundation for making them one of the beneficiaries of free water facility.
He expressed his heart-felt joy for, ” the era of scampering for water is over, by God’s grace”.
Residents of the area, majorly women were ecstatic as they would bid farewell to “annoying-dawn-queue before getting water for their house chores. They also promised to take good care of the facility.
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