* As The Companion shares N42m zakat proceeds among poor, under-privileged Nigerians
* Despite economic downturn, payment of zakat has increased – Imam Nojeem Jimoh
The immediate past Chairman/CEO of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, has called on zakat institutions to prioritise the training of beneficiaries on entrepreneurship and business ideas.
He said this is important to eliminate the situation where people become perennial receivers of zakat after failing to utilise previous zakat funds judiciously.
The former NAHCON boss made this statement on Sunday, May 26, at the 2024 zakat fund distribution ceremony of The Companion, an association of Muslim men in business and the professions, where he was the guest lecturer.
The event which was graced by members of the foremost faith-based non-governmental organisation from across Nigeria, took place at the Lagos State House of Assembly Complex, Alausa, Ikeja.
Muslim News gathered that the sum of N42 million was generated this year as Zakat funds by the organisation. The sum was shared among the existing Districts, including: Oyo, Osun, Kwara, Cross River, FCT, Abuja and Lagos. While few others have held their disbursement, the Lagos District conducted its distribution last Sunday.
In his lecture, Alhaji Hassan said zakat collection should be seen by beneficiaries as a way to either ease a temporary difficulty or establish a business that will take them out of poverty.
He urged zakat institutions to embrace training on entrepreneurship for beneficiaries, especially those who fall in the business category.
“Importantly, we need to sensitise our people that zakat is not what you get year in year out. You are supposed to see zakat collection as a way to either temporarily ease your difficulty or for you to use the opportunity to engage in businesses that can take you out of the poverty line. So, the receivers need to understand that they are not supposed to be perennial receivers,” he said.
“We also need to up the knowledge of entrepreneurship. When people get money and they don’t know how to use it to get more money, it could be a problem. So, we need to be engaging the would-be receivers of zakat, particularly those into business, on entrepreneurship and how best to utilise the money for business.
“The volume of money you need to do business in Nigeria today is much considering the current situation. But against the amount available and the need to ensure that it gets to as many people as possible, we just have to manage.
Of course, one is better than zero. If you are very good at entrepreneurship, you just need little amount of money to transform it to something better. And if they give you free N10 million and you do not know how to manage it, it will just waste away. I agree that we may in future need to increase the money for business category, but again those who want to do business should also know how to succeed and survive in the business world.”
Zikrullah Hassan also stressed the need for increased awareness on zakat payment, noting the amount received is still insignificant when measured against the needs of people.
He said, “Looking at the records all over, what we have as the cumulative amount of zakat is still insignificant, therefore unable to solve the myriads of problems facing the Muslims. We will still need to continuously increase the awareness on why Muslims should continue to pay zakat, the benefits in it and the punishment for those who refuse to pay zakat.”
He explained that transparency is key in zakat collection and disbursement, commending The Companion for its open and thorough policy which has led to increase in zakat payment.
“Year in year out, the truth is that the cumulative amount of money being paid for zakat is on the increase. This is because there is a lot of openness in the way zakat is distributed. In times past, it’s just given to somebody in the mosque, and they will tell the benefactor that the needful has been done. But now, it’s open.
“Sometime, it looks embarrassing because some people may not be able to come to the open to collect whatever is due to them. But again, if you don’t make it open, in what best way can you assure those giving you funds that you are doing the right thing? So, the openness must be there. The more we are open, the more the trust is increasing for people to pay.
“Some people use this zakat to fleece. For them, it is just business as usual. Some people are economic empowerment tools, they would go and sell the next day turning it into politics. This is not one, and that is why we continuously say anybody who abuses this kind of trust will live in perennial poverty and suffer for it all his life. So, the best thing is if you come and get zakat, use it for the purpose to which you have promised for Allah to bless your effort.”
Categorisation of zakat disbursement
Muslim News gathered that the categories in which today’s zakat disbursement went to include health, business, education, welfare, among others.
Highest disbursements were made to the health causes, where beneficiaries were awarded N1 million each to cater for debilitating illnesses. The business category followed with beneficiaries awarded substantial amounts to start or support their businesses.
Some of the beneficiaries went home with cheque money and items that fulfilled their needs such as a deep freezer and personal computers (laptops), among others.
• Despite economic meltdown, payment of zakat has increased – Imam Nojeem Jimoh
In his own remarks, the chairman of the Zakat Committee, Imam Nojeem Jimoh, stated that awareness campaign on zakat payment must continue.
He noted that many Muslims do not show similar enthusiasm for zakat as hajj which are both key pillars of Islam, attributing it to low awareness and sensitisation.
“The awareness campaign has to carry on. As I have said on previous occasions, you find every Muslim wanting to go to hajj, being a key pillar of Islam, but you don’t see every Muslim wanting to pay zakat. The Muslims pray to Allah to be able to go to hajj. They make savings, but then you find some having been to hajj three, four, five times and they may never have paid zakat before. That is simply because the awareness is not there, and many equate what they give in charity or sadaqah to zakat as well. But zakat is different from everyday charity that we do. So, I think the awareness will have to keep going until all Muslims will appreciate the need to pay zakat.
“It should be the prayer of every Muslim that they should be a giver rather than a receiver of zakat. There is nothing wrong in being a receiver of zakat, we should say it with emphasis. Allah has created us with different endowments. Some are always going to be higher than others in status, in riches, blessings and all. So, this is Allah’s way of redistributing wealth.”
Imam Jimoh, who is also the Chief Imam Lighthouse Community Mosque, Lekki, expressed delight that despite the economic meltdown in the country, payment of zakat to The Companion has increased continually over the years.
“Despite the economic meltdown and the challenges in the country, the amount that Muslims paid in zakat has increased on a continual basis. From N25 million four years ago, to N32 million year after, and N36 million last year. This year, we are distributing N42 million.
“It is the rahma (blessing) of Allah. How do you explain that everybody is lamenting that there is no money in the country, yet people are contributing more to the cause of Allah. We attribute that to the rahma of Allah. But the second factor is that there is an increased awareness on the need to pay zakat amongst the Muslims. We write to people, remind them, go to them, such that those who would not have ordinarily thought about paying zakat would do so. This reminder always comes in different forms. Then, they are reminded to do so and we see them responding to it as well. I think those are two key factors in the ever-increasing amount,” he said.
Our overall goal is to seek the pleasure of Allah: Amir
Earlier in his welcome address, National Amir (President) of The Companion, Engr. Kamil Olalekan, said The Companion zakat fund was established in 2012 with a twin purpose of assisting qualified Muslims to fulfil their zakat obligation and providing a platform to give assistance to needy Muslims and others who require financial and other forms of support.
“Our overall goal is to seek the pleasure of Allah on all parties (i.e. the giver, the taker and the mediator),” the Amir said.
He added that Allah instituted zakat as a form of wealth redistribution and commanded those who have excess to assist the poor and the needy.
“It is common knowledge that zakat is the third pillar of Islam, yet, it is without doubt the mostly neglected by many Muslims. The negligence is out of ignorance for some while for others, it is out of carelessness. As a Muslim organisation, The Companion has noted with concern that there are many qualified Muslims who ordinarily should pay zakat and genuinely want to fulfil their zakat obligation but require little prompting.
“On the other hand, there are also many needy Muslims in various categories such as widows, orphans, the sick, poor, indigent, etc. who also genuinely need assistance to cope with the vicissitudes of life, especially at a time when Nigeria is touted as the poverty capital of the world and Muslims are arguably the greatest victims of the poverty index.”
Engr. Olalekan encouraged wealthy Muslims to cultivate the habit of paying zakat, noting it purifies and increases their wealth.
He said the beneficiaries represent a small fraction of the number of applications in their data bank.
“I therefore call on Muslims whose wealth is beyond the nisab to pay their zakat regularly and take advantage of the spiritual and economic benefits of zakat. I recommend The Companion Zakat Fund to you all as a veritable platform to fulfil your zakat obligation. I assure you that your zakat will get to the needy who truly deserve assistance. I must note that we also receive sadaqah which does not require calculations or any pre-condition.”
He charged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the support such that they are also able to pay zakat or sadaqah in the next few years.
Increase in zakat donation, vote of confidence in its credibility: Alhaji Suara
Presenting a goodwill message, chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Suara Misbaudeen, who chaired the occasion, said the disbursement programme was excellent, commending The Companion for the good way they have handled it.
“They pooled the funds together and it’s being disbursed transparently in terms of cash, equipment. It’s commendable to see this effort going on,” he said.
He also stated that the increase in zakat payment to the organisation is a vote of confidence in its credibility.
“The pool of funds for this year is about N42 million despite the fact that there is economic hardship. It’s actually a testament to the credibility and trust people have in The Companion. This is a platform that you can trust. They will deploy the money the way they are supposed to. Nobody is interested in pocketing one naira out of the funds donated.
“So, the motivation for people to keep putting more money year in year out is actually around the credibility of the whole process. It has been excellent. It’s a lot of effort: talk to people, remind them, pool the resources together, administer the money and ensure it goes to the right beneficiaries according to Islamic injunctions.”
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