NSF
Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation (ZSF) is a faith based, non-governmental and non-profit making organization incorporated in Nigeria with the Corporate Affairs Commission (RC 21237 in 2002). Their primary objective is to deliver quality Zakat assessment, collection and distribution services to both private and public individuals as well as corporate organizations, providing humanitarian and welfare services to mankind and Muslims in particular. The vission of the foundation is "To be a foremost and leading organization committed to improving the welfare of the less-privilege and adding value to stakeholders’ support.
The foundation has just three missions which are
1. To help the rich enrich the poor.
2. To care and touch people’s life.
3. To benefit humanity in general.
The above three missions can actually be achieved where there is effective administration of zakat.
The objectives of the foundation as stated by its founding fathers are:
To bridge the gap between the rich and poor.
To re-awaken the spirit of social responsibility among Muslims.
To return Zakat to it right position in Islam.
To create a credible channel of distribution of Zakat.
To ensure even distribution of wealth for empowerment of the less privileged ones.
To establish cordial relationship with other similar organizations both locally and internationally.
The foundation has four core values which are represented with an acronym PACT, which means
Professionalism, Accountability, Care and Trust.
The services of the foundation include:
ZAKAT ASSESSMENT, COLLECTION & DISTRIBUTION
It provides quality Zakat assessment, collection and distribution services to both private and public individuals as well as corporate bodies.
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT SUPPORT
The foundation use the Zakat collected to procure merchandise goods, vocational materials, and equipment to assist the poor to establish small-scale enterprises or repositioning of existing one.
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT
The foundation is seriously concerned about the education of Muslim students. As a result, it pays for their school fees, procurement of educational materials and research grants to both local and international students.
MEDICAL SUPPORT
They help those in need to off-set their bills, procure medications, treatment, undergo surgical operations within and outside the country as the situation demands.
WIDOWS/ORPHANS’ SUPPORT
They are fully committed to putting a smile on the faces of widows and orphans. This they accomplish through the sadaqat collected from donors. During Ramadhan, Eid-ul-Adha festivals, ZSF usually provides food items, clothing materials and some monetary incentives to these people.
MOSQUE SUPPORT
In addition to supporting the building of new Mosques or renovation of existing ones, they provide utility materials to other ones as the case maybe.
IFTAR SAIM SUPPORT
Annually, it organises Iftar Saim (i.e feeding of fasting Muslims) across the southwest and some parts of the south-south and northern part Nigeria. Some of the items they provide include bags of rice, live chickens, beverages as well as fruits.
SADAQATU JARIYAH
The ZSF encourages Muslims to revive the culture of executing projects that the less-privileged would continuously benefit from while the executor(s) too will continuously reap bountiful rewards from Allah through projects like digging boreholes, building schools, provisions of good motorable roads among others.
INFAQ AFUW (DISPOSING FAIRLY USED MATERIALS)
They encourage people to donate used or abandoned materials for onward distribution to the less-privileged ones and hence get reward from Allah.
WAQF (ENDOWMENT)
They collect donations of land, buildings or money as an endowment which are invested, the profits from which are given away as charity for indigents, or for construction of public utilities such as borehole, schools, hospital etc
SUPPORT SERVICES TO MUSLIM ORGANISATIONS
They provide office needs, furniture, propagation instruments, food items for camping programmes, sponsorship of seminars/workshops among other.
DETERMINING & SHARING INHERITANCE
ZSF assists in the administration of deceased estates and in most cases, offer professional advice on inheritance that is Shariah compliant based on request.
Every year, the foundation puts smile on the faces of a lot of people. Their major cry however, is not being able to respond positively to all that cry to them for help due to inadequate resources.
Reality of death
Death is inevitable. It must come, invited or not. Death does not discriminate between sex, race, nationality, age, height, weight, social economic status, and so on. Death is the same no matter how it came. The fear of death does not stop it from happening when a person's time has come. The most reasonable thing to do therefore, is to prepare for it. And the best preparation is to live a righteous life.
However, death is not the end of life. It is only a means to another phase of existence. A persons fate in it is dependent on the kind of life he lived in the previous, whether he believed in God and did righteous deeds or not.
Attacked by chimpanzees
Luci and Michel, the two beautiful daughters of Mr Michael, were so excited as it was the Saturday their daddy had promised to take them on a visit to the popular Ogba zoo. The zoo is famous for its collection of different kinds of animals, elephants, lions, pythons, crocodiles, monkeys, just to name a few. Their daddy had bought some bananas to be given to the monkeys the previous day on his way from the office. The joy of luci and Michel new no bound.
Luci and Michel are five and three years old respectively. Luci in particular has only seen these animals in her story book. Michel has toys of different animals. So, a visit to the zoo and seeing the life animals will definitely be very exciting.
The children hurried over their breakfast and jump into the car, and before you know it, they were at the entrance of the zoo. They were warmly received by the gate keeper and the tour guide. If only Mr Michael new the fate that awaits them.
Their first point of call was the monkeys' section. After they have satisfied their curiosity with the monkeys, they decided to move to the cage were chimpanzees were kept. They didn't notice that the gate of the cage was not locked. At first the chimps were camp, as if planning on how best to launch an attack. Suddenly, they rushed out in their numbers, towards Mr Michael and his little daughters. The tour guide had disappeared into thin air. Mr Michael quickly got hold of his children and started running backwards, unfortunately, he missed his steps and fell heavily on the ground. As the chimps were about to pounce on him, he screamed and suddenly opened his eyes, only to discover that he was actually dreaming.
I committed an offense...but I have no regret
It was a very Sunny Monday afternoon, the heat of the sun was indeed very hot. At the popular Ede Market, both buyers and traders were seen using different means to cushion the effect of the scorching sun. Some took of their shirts, some were pouring cold water on their heads, and some were fanning themselves with locally made hand fans.
As I drive down the road leading from the market, I saw an old woman, with a basket, containing foodstuffs she probably bought from the market, standing beside the road. She was looking tired and exhausted. I drove very close to her and alighted from the car in front of her. Then I walked to her, greeted her and asked, "how can I be of help to you ma"? To cut the long story short, I learnt she has been standing there for over an hour. Cars refused to stop, as it was not a bus stop, afraid of being arrested by traffic control officers. Also, no one was willing to give her a helping hand to the nearest bus stop which is just about fifteen minutes walk from were she was standing.
Just as I was about to lift her basket into my car, two traffic control officers came, as my stopping there was a traffic violation, an offense. I listened to them patiently as they explained to me the offense I have committed and the penalty. Then I asked, do you both have mothers? Are your mothers still alive? Which is more important to you at this point in time, obeying the traffic regulations or giving a little help to this old woman.
I could have just passed like others, but, the quilt of leaving an old woman to suffer, when I could have actually helped her, would continue to hurt me. She could have as well been my mother.
If you were one of the offers, what would you do after listening to me?
Show of Force
Yes, that is what they call it, "show of force ". It is a show of uniformed men, made up of policemen, soldiers, road safety corps, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, State Security Service.. matching and parading their men and ammunition, from street to street, locality to locality. I have had the privilege of witnessing it on two occasions. The sight, I must say, is beautiful, one to behold.
This show of force has become an exercise characteristic of our preparations for major elections in my state, Edo State, Nigeria. We often hear information like "twenty three thousands policemen have been deployed to Edo State to maintain peace, law and order during the forthcoming gubernatorial elections". Why does election in my State, as well as other States in Nigeria, always come with tension and apprehension? The answer is not far fetched. People are desperate for power, and they will go any length to get it, even if they have to kill. Kill? Yes, kill. Kill whom? Anyone and anybody who constitutes an obstacle towards achieving their ambition. Ballot papers are often snatched, election materials burnt, destroyed, voters threatened.
If the show of force will stem all these, so that people can exercise their franchise, without fear and any form of molestation, then, the exercise is worthwhile.
Never look down on any body unless you are admiring his shoes
What a bright and beautiful day!
There are a lot of our friends, neighbors.... who cannot see it
Let's show them love
