Zakata & Sadaqat Foundation has doled out over N102million worth of items to Muslims across the
South West with some non-Muslims going away with N50,000 cash each to become self-reliant and
improve their various businesses.

Elizabeth Chukwu and Gladys Amuta (non-Muslims)
were among 0ver 700 Muslims who benefited from
this gesture in Lagos state alone while another
20,800 Muslims benefited from other parts of the
country.

Gifts itmes raging from Deep Freezers, Grinding
Machines, Motocycles, Keke Marwa, Lap tops, to
cash gifts were doled out to empower needy
Muslims and improve the businesses of other
qualified Muslisms and non-Muslims.

Zakat is a form of alms-giving to the poor and
needy treated as a religious tax and/or religious
obligation in Islam, which is the third pillar of
Islam.

Speaking at the occasion, the Executive Director of
the foundation, Prince Sulayman Olagunju urged
beneficiaries to make good use of the gifts and
become zakat givers.

"As usual this year disbursement started with
immediate attention given to health issues that
cannot be delayed. We have supported surgeries, kidney treatment, hearing problems, eyes problems and.a whole lot of other illnesses. The total sum of N16,713,372:00 was spent to take care of the medical needs of various applicants. Thereafter, the sum of N7,350,000:00 was disbursed to 20 finalists of our youth empowerment scheme tagged Business Plan Competition.

Prince Olagunju disclosed that the total sum of
N20,724,405:00 was distributed in Abuja, Edo,
Kwara, Ogun, Osun and Oyo states. He added that
the sum of N68,771, 218:00 was being disbursed
to the different beneficiaries in Lagos State. Of this
figure, Olagunju stated the empowerment and
medical support got the larger shares of this year
zakat.

Olagunju explained that the foundation did more in
the area of economic empowerment and medical
support and have been able to engage many
unemployed youth by providing them with tools and
cash to setup their own petty businesses as well as
restoring hope to those who have various illnesses.

“At the same time, we have helped put shelter on
the heads of many people and relieved many of
their debt burdens. We have provided three major
communities with boreholes water and equally
supported a general Hospital with Generator to
power its theater for operations.

The chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Mununi Alao
also appealed to the beneficiaries to make
judicious use of the items and cash allocated to
them, concentrate on their investments with a view
of turning them to givers of Zakat in no distant
time. “Do not see these gesture as a manna from
heaven, but amana (trust) that must be utilised
wisely to turn around your economic life.”

The former Executive Director of the foundation,
Sheikh Shuaib Abdullah also praised the Zakat team
for the wonderful work done within a short period,
adding that the foundation has been making
Muslims to internalised the aspect of Zakat in the
scripture and to better humanity. Sheikh Abdullah
who painted a picture of crude culture of some
Muslims on issues of zakaat and offerings advised
them to step up their level of taqwa (fear of Allah)
and show compassion to fellow human beings.