An Islamic scholar, Ustaz Muhammad Kabir Al-Badawiy, has urged Muslims to give out 2.5% of their annual earnings as Zakat to alleviate poverty across Nigeria, boost wealth and enable the economy grow beyond it’s currently parlous state.
Addressing a lecture at the 8th Merit Award ceremony of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society, Kaduna branch, Ustaz Al-Badawiy, a lecturer at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), said the factors responsible for the economic challenges include failed promises, refusal to pay zakat, adultery and other immorality, adding that for Nigerian economy to overcome it’s current challenges, Muslims must fulfil their promises and give out the 2.5% of their earnings as charity to spread wealth across different strata of income and non income earners alike, to eradicate poverty.
He said, “Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) said when you keep giving failed promises, Allah will send to you bad leaders to torment you, when people refuse to give out a percentage of their annual earnings to charity they will never see value for their money and the economy will be damaged and when people see adultery as normal, people will die easily. We are having a poor economy because Allah is angry with us, if we can change our attitude by giving out charity, keeping promises and avoiding adultery we will not only flush out the anger of Allah, we will help society.
“The aim of charity is not just to alleviate poverty but to eradicate it. As Allah’s anger is flushed out, Allah’s blessing will flow into the society and the people will become rich. That is why you hardly find poor people in Arab countries because their people pay their taxes and zakats promptly. The amount of money that is due for zakat is N3.744 million but the argument among Islamic scholars is that must the money be kept for a year before it qualifies for zakat? Then it’s necessary for sportsmen, contractors salary earners, farmers to pay zakat once they receive their income.”
Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Amao Ademola Abideen, tasked Muslims to contribute to Ansar-ud-Deen Society in catering for it’s responsibilities, noting that the preachings of the Society’s Imams is benefitting.
“We have to contribute to Ansar-ud-Deen because if we sit back, what legacy will we leave for those coming after us? Ansar-ud-Deen has many responsibilities including keeping the Mosque clean, welfare of Muslims, having a primary and secondary school to train the younger generations. We Muslims are very unprepared, we need to support and donate generously to help ADS achieve it’s responsibilities,” he said.
Chairman, Ansar-ud-Deen Society, Kaduna Branch, Alhaji Saburi Adeyemi, said the annual award ceremony was organised by the society to recognize members and non members who have contributed immensely to the development of the society and propagation of Islam.
He said the Society, established 100 years ago for the propagation of Islam, is in need of support of wealthy Muslims to keep up its programmes including education, reformation, propagation, and defence of Islam.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state, who was represented by the Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Pilgrims Agency, Dr. Yusuf Yakubu Arrigasiyyu, pledged to support the society in the propagation of Islam in the state.
Highlights of the event was presentation of excellence awards to 34 outstanding Muslims including four posthumous awards.
