AN overwhelming number of wealthy Muslims have neglected the institution of zakat and the time has come to revive one of the important pillars of Islam as decreed by Allah.
The Executive Director of a faith-based humanitarian organisation, Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation (ZSF), Prince Sulayman Olagunju, stated this during the distribution of zakat to some indigent students and poor members of the society in Zaria, Kaduna State.
Among the beneficiaries were students of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), widows, orphans and some other vulnerable individuals at the Nigeria College of Civil Aviation (NCAT) and International Trust of Nigeria (ITN).
Speaking during the distribution of zakat to students of ABU, Prince Olagunju noted that because of the present hardship in the country, many students could not afford to feed or pay school fees.
He said it was on this premise that the foundation deemed it fit to fulfill one of the cardinal principles of Islam by giving zakat to students of the institution.
According to him, 13 indigent students of the university were given N30,000 each as zakat while the other beneficiaries received between N50,000 and N100,000.
He said since the establishment of the foundation, no fewer than 30,000 deserving Nigerians had benefitted from the organisation’s zakat distribution.
Olagunju, however, lamented that wealthy Muslims have neglected this important pillar of Islam.
He said: “Many wealthy individuals have neglected this important pillar of Islam and the time has come for us to revive it.
“We all know that it is one of the five pillars of Islam. If we are doing what Allah has ordained, the hardship and poverty prevailing in our society would be over.”
Olagunju charged Muslims to prioritise zakat and sadaqat so that the gap between the poor and the rich would not only be bridged but succour and blessings of Allah would be upon the entire society.
Also, in Lagos, the ZSF presented 24 medically challenged persons with N11 million to help in paying their medical bills.
The Executive Director, Prince Olagunju, during the presentation of cheques to beneficiaries in Ikeja, said the zakat distribution was geared towards restoring hope to patients who have lost hope in regaining their health and returning to being productive members of the society.
According to him, beneficiaries were selected from among numerous individuals and priority was given to applicants who needed urgent medical treatment.
Prince Olagunju said: “In line with our tradition of giving priority to the applicants with medical challenges, we are commencing this year’s zakat disbursement with the total sum of N11.5 million to 24 of the applicants with kidney problem, fibroid, eye problems and other ailments.
“The whole idea is to restore their health. If you have a serious ailment, you can’t be part of the society at large again. That is why the funds we are disbursing to people with health challenges are more than the money we are disbursing for empowerment.”
He thanked all the zakat payers and appealed for more donations to enable the foundation to expand its charity to more applicants.
“Our Muslim brothers and sisters out there who take it upon themselves to practise this act of charity, I sincerely express my gratitude to them. I thank you all and encourage you to continue to pay zakat. Muslims have a huge responsibility to play in society, especially the wealthy people, they should pay their zakat. It is as compulsory as the five daily prayers.
“If all eligible Muslims in Nigeria pay their zakat, we are going to forget poverty. You only pay 2.5 per cent of your net income after you have taken care of your needs and it will be distributed to the underprivileged in the society,” he added.
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