National Islamic Ijtmah committee vice chairperson, Sheikh Idrissah Muhammad, on Saturday bemoaned the reluctance by some Malawian Muslims to pay Zakaat (charity), one of the five pillars of Islam, which is a compulsion they are supposed fulfill.
Sheikh Muhammad was speaking at the Old Airport in Mangochi where over 5,000 Muslims from different parts of Malawi and abroad gathered for the 2010 Ijtmah organized by National Islamic ijtmah committee.
In his sermon centering on the theme: “transforming and inculcating self-reliance in Muslim communities”, Sheikh Muhammad urged Malawian Muslims to observe the payment of charity to help consolidate the financial base for the Muslims and support the needs of the community. He advised Muslims to avoid only relying on Muslims of Asian origin for support towards various Islamic programs.
“I wonder why some Muslims in Malawi are reluctant to pay Zakaat yet the Quran commands us to do so,” he said.
“We want to build an Islamic complex, an Islamic University, health clinics and also look at the welfare of our Sheikhs. We should be able to do this with the money from our pockets and not just rely on our friends of Asian origin,” said Sheikh Muhammad.
In addition, National Islamic Ijtmah committee chairperson brother Austin Biton Ajawa said National Islamic Zakaat Fund (NIZF) was launched last year where collection of Zakaat is made from regional and national levels for the implementation of the fund, so that at the end of every year, Malawian Muslims should know where to pay their Zakaat.
He also produced a report of how the NIZF has conducted its operations saying they have collected a lot of items like maize, cattle, and many other things.
NIZF also donated a cheque amounting to MK250, 000 to the National Dawah Association which was presented by former president of Malawi, Dr. Bakili Muluzi and former vice president Dr. Cassim Chilumpha and was received by Sheikh Ali Abdul the chairperson of the Association.
Ijtmah, held annually since 1965, is a second largest Muslim gathering in the world where people get together and share the word of God and discuss how they can overcome challenges affecting the Muslim community.
Among prominent figures who attended the event were Sheikh Amir Khauf from Tanzania, Brother Saleem Banda from South Africa, Mufti Cassim Abassi who was also guest of honour and many more.
The Ijtma started on Friday, October 8 and ended on Sunday, October 10th 2010.
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Remember all this comes to you under the assistance of sister E. Tepani, F. Ndaila and sister K. Mdala
