By Bukola Hameed
A non-governmental organisation, Zakat and Sadaqah Foundation, ZSF, Oyo North zone has distributed Zakat worth over two million naira to beneficiaries and launched Back to School Project.
The distribution ceremony was held at the TMC Dawah Centre, Bamgbose Street, Owode, Oyo on Sunday under the chairmanship of the Aare Musulumi of Oyoland, Alhaj Tajudeen Kamarise.
Zakat, as one of the pillars of Islaam was described as a veritable tool to espounge poverty from the society by Imaam Luqman Abdurafiu in his lecture titled Payment of Zakat in emerging economy.
The cleric underscored the social, spiritual and economic importance of giving Zakat, adding that Zakat purifies the Muslim’s wealth, as Allah says in the Qur’an; “It keeps one away from sin and saves the giver from the moral ill arising from the greed and love of wealth”.
He highlighted some of the benefits of giving Zakat as a mechanism to simultaneously cleanse our higher souls from the taint of their base natures, purify the worldly possessions that remain with us, uplift the needful around us and elevate society by restoring its economic balance.
In his remark, the Oyo North zonal coordinator of Zakat and Sadaqah Foundation, Mallam Sharafadeen Adegbite Taiwo commended those who gave their Zakat to ZSF, while encouraging the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the materials and equipment to be distributed to them. “Making good use of the materials is a way of actualising the intent and essence of Zakat collection and distribution”, he said.
Meanwhile, the state coordinator, Mallam Qasim Durojaye called on all wealthy Muslims to acknowledge that Islaam focuses on community sustainability, and Zakat is the engine that facilitates that.
“Zakat is a powerful tool to help re-circulate wealth to those most vulnerable, many of whom are experiencing poverty at no fault of their own, but due to their unfortunate circumstances, such as access, war, resources, and limitations”, he said.
Kick-starting the Back to School Project, the zonal Secretary of ZSF, Oyo North zone, Engineer Abdullateef Ayedogbon hinted that the foundation projected 20,000 naira each for about 100 indigent pupils of public primary schools across Oyo North zone.
Aare Musulumi of Oyoland, Alhaj Kamarise in his speech while launching the Back to School Project said, “Zakat is unlike charity that is given to the needy voluntarily. Withholding Zakat is considered depriving the poor of their due share, thus one who pays Zakat actually purifies his wealth by separating it from the portion that belongs to the poor.” He thereafter encouraged the well-to-do to imbibe the spirit of giving Zakat from their wealth.
The chairman, after leading the Symbolic Distribution, equally commended the Zakat and Sadaqah Foundation for its efforts in putting smiles in people’s faces. He also called on the beneficiaries to be prudent in order to become Zakat payers in no distant time.
Asides cash distribution, materials distributed for economic empowerment included two sewing machines, one electrical sewing machine, a 24-KG gas cylinder and a deep freezer.
Dignitaries at the Zakat distribution ceremony included Dr Ismail Shittu from Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, Mallam AbdulMajeed Abodunrin, Alhaj Shahid Adejare, Mallam Otunba AbdulSalaam, Prince Maruf Afolabi, Alhaji Hameed lsmail, Chief lshaq Titiloye, Ilufemiloye, the Ona lsokun of Oyoland, Ustadh Ahmad OlohunOyin and Pharmacist Tajudeen Adesokan.
Others are Alhaji Abdulhakeem MOBOLAJI Butterfat, Alhaja Safurat Azeez, Alhaja Isola Omo Dada, Alhaja Oluwasunmibare, Alhaja Fatimah Elelubo, Hajia Raheemah Baydo, Hajia Sulikha AbdulSalaam, Alhaja Oriade Saarat, Alhaja Rofia and Alhaja Shakirat.
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