This handout picture released by the Nigerian army on April 30, 2015 and taken this week in an undisclosed location in the Sambisa Forest, Borno state, purportedly shows a member of the Nigerian Army standing next to a group of women and children rescued in an operation against the Islamist group Boko Haram. Boko Haram hostages were held in atrocious conditions in the group’s Sambisa Forest stronghold, Nigeria’s military said on April 30 after nearly 500 women and girls were released this week. AFP PHOTO / NIGERIAN ARMY
As Muslim group distributes N1m to less privileged in Ondo
The Zakat & Zadaqat Foundation, under The Muslim Congress (TMC), recently in Akure, disbursed cash and items worth N1million to 31 less privileged people in Ondo State.
Olagunju Sulaiman, the Executive Director of the foundation, said that the gesture was designed to boost poverty eradication in the state.
Zakat, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a form of alms giving treated as a religious obligation or tax. It is ranked in importance next to the five daily prayers.
Olagunju said: “We have been collecting zakat for the past 17 years and we started from Lagos in year 2000 before moving out to other states.
“Our rate of movement is far better than when we started. We have been to 10 states including Edo, Delta, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Kwara, Lagos and Abuja, and this year we are adding two more states, that is, Ondo and Ekiti to our list.
“Today, for the first time in Ondo State, we are disbursing zakat of N1million to 31 beneficiaries, and we pray this amount grows geometrically so that it can wipe out poverty in our midst.
“The beneficiaries included those in need of equipment such as sewing and grinding machines, school fees, and those with medical issues, among many other things.
“Any nation which has most of its population idle is going to be in problem and the more we are able to engage our youths in term of empowerment, the less we are going to have crime,” Olagunju said.
According to him, Muslims need to know that if poverty would be eradicated in the society, they have a lot of work to do.
“It is only Islam that collects from the rich and renders it to the poor neither to the Imams nor religion leaders.
“I sincerely advice those who have not come up with their zakat to do so and contribute to the development of our society,”he noted.
A beneficiary, Mr Saheed Mud’lawan, an artisan who received a generator, applauded the foundation for the gesture, saying that it would go a long way to supporting his family
Also, Miss Abdulahi Aminat, who was given money, said that the money would enhance her educational career.
Two generators and one knitting machine was given to three beneficiaries.
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