Scholars task Muslims on charity to fight poverty

Muslim organisations have been urged to intensify efforts in mobilising Sadaqah and Waqf alongside Zakat as a more sustainable strategy for addressing unemployment and poverty. The call was made at the 2026 annual Ramadan lecture of the Majlis for Sadaqah, Zakat and Waqf held in Ilorin. The guest speaker and chief imam of Hasbunallahu Jumaat […]

Muslim organisations have been urged to intensify efforts in mobilising Sadaqah and Waqf alongside Zakat as a more sustainable strategy for addressing unemployment and poverty.

The call was made at the 2026 annual Ramadan lecture of the Majlis for Sadaqah, Zakat and Waqf held in Ilorin.

The guest speaker and chief imam of Hasbunallahu Jumaat Mosque, Ilorin, Imam Abdulrafii Olodu-Owo, said that while Zakat is compulsory in Islam and neglecting it attracts spiritual consequences, Sadaqah and Waqf remain powerful voluntary tools that can generate greater resources for social intervention.

He explained that Zakat is obligatory once a year for Muslims who meet the Nisab threshold and is fixed at 2.5 per cent of qualifying wealth.

He said with the current Nisab estimated at about N18 million, the amount realised from Zakat alone may not sufficiently meet the growing needs of widows, orphans, the sick and other vulnerable groups.

“A careful study of our society shows that what is usually realised from Zakat is small compared to what can be generated from Sadaqah and Waqf,” he said.

The cleric noted that, unlike Zakat, Sadaqah can be given at any time and in any amount, adding that many wealthy individuals often donate more through voluntary charity than through their annual Zakat obligations.

He therefore urged Zakat committees and Islamic charity bodies to broaden their focus beyond compulsory collections and establish structured Sadaqah and Waqf initiatives capable of generating sustainable income for social welfare.

The Chairman of the Majlis, Engr Saad Belgore, said the annual lecture was aimed at sensitising the Muslim community on the mandatory nature of Zakat and the broader objectives of Islamic social finance.

Also speaking, Abdullahi Bashir Amule urged Muslim youths to take Zakat seriously and engage in regular Sadaqah to support the less privileged.

Representing the Emir of Ilorin, the Balogun Alanamu, Alhaji Abubakar Jos, commended donors for supporting the organisation and assured that contributions would be judiciously used to uplift the needy.