Zakat: Ansar-ud-Deen Doles Out N4m To Muslims, Non-Muslims
Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Lagos Branch, has donated gift items to less privileged, patients in hospitals as well as prison inmates in the state.
The programme was meant to promote peace, love and harmony among the people in the state.
“The core benefit of this program (Zakat) is to alleviate poverty in our dear nation, rescue the people from bondage especially the less privileged who don’t have funds to establish themselves and those who don’t have a source of livelihood.
‘Today is indeed a memorable day for us especially as we embark on this outreach to clinics, prisons and orphanage homes within Lagos state.
“There is usually a zakat committee headed by me, and we have about 12 members. We send letters and postal to our divisions to raise money for this program (Zakat) in order to purchase gift items for the needy.
“This we have been doing for a decade now, and I’m happy to tell you that we have been recording huge results every year.
“For instance, we were able to collect Zakat of about N4million for this year alone, which was more than the previous year. To be part of the beneficiaries, we give room for applicants to submit letters to our sub-committee who in turn invite them for scrutiny to be able to verify the tenacity of their needs.”
According to him, “This year, we are giving out Zakat to about 44 people who constitute of both members and non-members of the society. For example, we have three caterers among the beneficiaries that would be empowered with equipment needed for their trade aside our clinic that has just been completed for medical care.”
“It is our belief that with the outreach, we would able to alleviate the high rate of poverty bedevilling our people and improve the economy of our dear nation at large.”
He advised Nigerians to maintain peaceful co-existence, and ensure they extend hands of fellowship to the less privileged in the society. The chairman of the society, Alh. Kamarudeen Salami advised the beneficiaries to utilise the opportunity afforded them judiciously. “Zakat is expected to be paid by those who are wealthy. It’s the fourth pillar of Islam.
The Holy Qu’ran chap 9:103 commanded us to give 2.5% of our savings, which is excluding your expenditures.
“So, when they pay it, we gather the money and disburse it among those that are in need.
“In Islam, we don’t discriminate and that’s the more reason we include the non-Muslims to be partakers of this opportunity. Secondly, my advice goes to the non-members who are also partakers of the Zakat”
Some of the beneficiaries thanked the organisers for a job well done. A beneficiary who identified herself as Oni Oluwafunke said: “I thank God for what they (organisers) are doing. As a Christian, I must commend them for following the words of God by meeting people’s needs, especially in this hard time. I’m now relieved of my distresses, and I pray God richly bless them in all their ramifications.”
Another beneficiary who identified himself as Mr Ola Abdulrazaq Mustapha said: “I feel so elated and give glory to Almighty Allah (SWT) for this opportunity to be part of the beneficiaries of this golden opportunity. The organisers have done a great job entirely. As a first-timer, I must commend them for the coordination and teamwork input towards the success of this event.”
