….. Disburses Empowerment Items, Cheques To The Needy
Zakat, a revolutionary concept which can extremely end poverty, according to the National Chief Imam of Al – Habibiyyah Islamic Society, Fuad Adeyemi.
” For every adult who owns wealth over a certain amount known as Nisab he or she must pay 2.5% of that wealth as Zakat”.
Speaking at the maiden edition of the National Zakat day in Abuja, Imam Adeyemi said that Zakat does not only benefit the poor as the receiver but also help the giver in fulfilling their obligations as true Muslim as it is written in the holy book.
Chief Imam Adeyemi attributed many security challenges facing Nigeria today which are manifesting in to banditry, kidnapping and ritual killings as lack of zakat remittance.
He said if every Muslim remit his or her zakat as it should and proper disbursement is been carried out, the level of insecurity in Nigeria will be minimal.
“If all Muslims who are eligible to pay Zakat actually do so in an open and transparent manner, many of this vice we have in the country will be eliminated.
“In the Muslim system, Zakat functions as a means to reduce inequalities and eradicate poverty”, Imam Adeyemi added.
one of the high point of the event was disbursement of empowerment items like, Sewing Machines, Generators, Deep Freezers, Stano Fridges, Tool Boxes, Cheques among others to various categories of beneficiaries without bias for education and women of the poor by the Habibiyyah Islamic Society.
According to him, the foundation has disbursed over six million naira to the needy in the society since it’s inception.
He said 70 percent of the funds were used to buy income generating materials such as sewing and designing tailoring machines, pumping machines for irrigation farming activities among others.
According to him, the guest lecturer and Executive Chairman, Sokoto State Zakat and Waqf Endowment Commission, Muhammad Lawal Maidoki highlighted the importance of Zakat, explaining that if every Muslim should pay Zakat it will go along way to combat poverty.
“I want to speak on the importance of Zakat as a tool to combating poverty in our society, so in my presentation I highlight some points in respect to how Zakat in the past has help so many people out of poverty and how it can be applied in Nigeria situation to help in also combating poverty and bringing about other development we are much in need in this country.
“These are some of the thing I have spoken and I have given evidences from the Qur’an, from the practices of other countries including other African countries such as Uganda,Sudan,South African, Senegal to mention but few.
He however called on the Federal and State Government to support the entrenchment of Zakat as one the tools to bring an end to poverty and also to assist in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) or Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) come 2030.
