The Elders Consultative Forum of the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria, Oyo State Chapter, on Sunday distributed N2.4 million cash as Zakkat (alms) to indigent Muslims in the state.
Alhaji Lanus Sansui (SAN), Chairman of the Forum, while speaking at the 6thannual Zakkat distribution ceremony in Ibadan, said the money realised from individual contributions, was shared among 132 persons.
Sanusi, who noted that Zakkat was one of the five pillars of Islam said that it was compulsory for every wealthy Muslim to pay it once in a year.
He said that the highest beneficiary collected N100, 000, while the least received N25,000.
He expressed hope that the money would go a long way in alleviating poverty among the beneficiaries.
He lamented that the money was too small and attributed it to the present economic situation in the country.
“The money is too small, we ought to have realised more than this, but due to the present financial crises in the country,’’ he said.
He said that the committee responsible for the Zakkat distribution had to screen the beneficiaries before arriving at the number, after considering their needs.
Sanusi said that if wealthy Muslims paid their Zakkat regularly, it would help reduce poverty among others in the society.
He explained that Zakkat was Allah’s way of alleviating poverty among the people.
Sanusi identified lack of education as part of the impediments affecting collection of Zakkat in Oyo State.
The chairman of the occasion and former Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Mikail Alarape, urged well-meaning Muslims to redistribute their wealth by paying Zakkat regularly.
Alarape said that failure of many wealthy Muslims to pay Zakkat contributed to high level of poverty among the Muslims.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr Salaudeen Adedotun, toldnewsmen that he appreciated the forum for the gesture and promised to use the money well.
In his lecture, Shelkh Habeebulah Bukhari, urged the beneficiaries to invest the money wisely, so that they too could be of assistance to the needy through payment of Zakkat in future.
NAN