Deputy Imam of the National Mosque in Accra, Alhaji Shuaib Alhassan Mohammed Awal, has asked Muslims to pay their zakat into the Zakat and Sadaqat Fund of Ghana to provide for the needy and poor in society.
Imam Awal remindered Muslims about Allah’s exhortation to Muslim to pay zakat, one of the pillars of Islam, in a sermon, “The Blessings of Zakat” he delivered to the Masjid Salamaat congregation at Ofankor, a suburb of Accra on Friday.
Imam Awal, who also doubles as the Takoradi Metropolitan Chief Imam, said “By giving zakat, we purify our wealth and soul, we demonstrate gratitude to Allah, support the less fortunate and we strengthen our community, and we attain the blessings of Allah.”
The leadership of Muslim Parliamentary Caucus, the Parliamentary service staff in conjunction with the Muslim community in Ghana, officially launched the Zakat and Sadaqat Fund of Ghana in 2010 for Muslim to honour their religious obligation.
The management of the fund had since implemented a number of projects and interventions across the country to improve the wellbeing of the Muslim community in the areas of education, health, social protection and skills training.
They are also undertaking a mobilisation drive across the country to sensitise Muslim communities to subscribe to the fund, in fulfilment of their faith and obligation, to grow the fund to provide for the needs of the less-privileged.
And as part of the drive, Imam Awal took to the pulpit on Friday to drum home the need to fulfil that important Islamic obligation thrusted on all Muslims to pay a fraction of their wealth, to attain the blessings and pleasures of Allah.
“Zakat is the third pillar of Islam, it is a fundamental aspect of our faith. It is not just a duty, but a blessings,” Imam Awal noted.
Imam Awal remindered Muslims of Quran Chapter 9:103 “Take from their wealth of charity to purify them and cleanse them, and pray for them. Indeed, your prayer is a tranquility for them,” and urged Muslims to uphold the exhortation from Allah.
He also exhorted Muslim about the Hadiths which says, “The upper hand is better than the lower hand, the upper hand is the one that gives and the lower hand that takes.”(Sahim Bukari) and “Whoever pays zakat, Allah will increase his wealth.”(Tirmidhi).
Imam Awal urged Muslims to seize the opportunity to gain the favours and blessings of Allah by paying their zakat regularly.
The Deputy Imam of the National Mosque commended the Muslim Parliamentary Caucus, the Muslim Parliamentary Staff, the Muslim community for instituting the fund, and praised the management of the fund for the drive to grow the fund to meet the needs of the needy and the poor in society.
Turning to the December 7 general election, Imam Awal urged Muslim to spread peace as enjoyed upon them by the religion, and asked the youth not to involve in violence.
BY ALHAJI SALIFU ABDUL-RAHAMAN
