JAIZ has really turn our lives around- Zakat Beneficiaries

Dr Abdullah I Shuaib, Imam Sulayman Adangba and others at the Jaiz Zakat distribution in Lagos.

… We are focusing more on education – Dr Shuaib

… Let’s have more government involvement in Zakat collection – Shafii

No fewer than 108 people living in Lagos State recently expressed their gratitude and happiness when they received cash and materials worth 4 million naira from Jaiz Charity and Development Foundation as Zakat proceeds.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Director, Jaiz Charity And Development Foundation, Dr Abdullahi Shuaib, stated that the highest percentage of the proceeds will go into education support in  order  to  increase the  number  of  human  capitals  as  well  as  to attain and sustain economic development.

“54 percent of the beneficiaries falls under the category of education support and 32 percent fall under economic empowerment, while the remaining will take care of health challenges.”

Explaining why education support has the highest percentage, Shuaib said education is the best legacy one can bequeath to the younger ones especially children from humble homes who are struggling to make ends meet.

“We believe that from our empirical studies over the years, when we give people money for health challenge.  More than 50 percent usually divert the money for sustenance, believing that God will take care of their health challenge.

“This happen because, the foundation has little control over the monitoring aspect but at the point of doing the mid assessment, we do realize that the money giving out to take care of their health was diverted to other things.

“Likewise on economic empowerment, the foundation place more emphasis on buying equipment for beneficiaries and equally tried to reduce the number of beneficiaries that usually access physical cash. We believe the equipment will generate income.

He advised the students to focus on their academic pursuit to open greater opportunity for them.

“Allah has solve one of your challenges by providing this unique opportunity for you. So dedicate your time to study very hard and ensure that you come out with good grades”

Grand Mufti of Conference of Islamic Organisations, CIO, Sheikh Dhikrullah Shafi’i said that Zakat is an essential component of Islamic Economic System which eradicates poverty completely through proper implementation.

He noted that, the success of Zakat institution couldn’t be denied due to increase in sustainability every year. “A lot of success has been achieved, particularly in increase in amount of the zakat collection throughout the country.

He said government participation in Zakat collection will be of huge impact and will drive achievement of prosperity in the country.

“The reason why some Muslims are still enmesh in poverty despite high proceeds of Zakat is due to non-involvement of government in the system. Government needs to support the system before it can be truly effective”

He urged clerics to give proper enlightment to Zakat payers and beneficiaries, saying that most people paying Zakat were only paying sadaqat due to the fact that they are not aware of the actual amount they suppose to pay. Likewise Zakat beneficiaries don’t know about the usage of Zakat proceeds.

The Chief Imam ofof Adang Central Mosque, Sheikh Abdurahman Sulaiman Adangba said despite the success in increasing the collection of zakat from year to year, so many Muslims are currently battling poverty.

“So many Muslim are enmesh in poverty because they lack the education of the usage of Zakat. We must let people know that Zakat is not a free money, although it is giving to them to use. They are to work with it and return it back into the system so that others could benefit as they have benefited”.

He advised that a template should be put in place to avoid proliferation of Zakat proceeds.

“ This globally accepted template, will serve as a medium to disburse, collect zakat. If we start using the template, it will avoid the situation whereby people collect Zakat from different Zakat organizations.”