Wealthy Muslims Who Failed To Pay Zakat Would Face Severe Punishment – Grand Khadi
By Abdullahi Ahmad Bamalli
Justice Abdullateef Kamaldeen, the grand Khadi of Sharia Court of Appeal, Ilorin, denounced the reckless attitude of wealthy Muslims towards paying zakat.
Zakat is the third pillar of Islam, it is also a means of redistributing wealth, in which the rich take a percentage of their wealth each year to redistribute it to the poorer members of society.
The grand Khadi warns that wealthy and materially endowed muslims who failed to pay zakat would face a severe punishment in hereafter.
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He clarified that zakat payment in Islam is mandatory and not optional for those who are wealthy and materially endowed amongst the Muslims.
Kamaldeen handed down the warning in a lecture he delivered at the annual Ramadan Tafsir organised by Majlis (Council) for Sadaqah, Zakat and Waqf (alms/charity) held in Ilorin, Kwara State capital.
He expressed concern that zakat, meant to ensure even distribution of wealth amongst the Muslims, was not being observed by many despite that only a fraction of their wealth and materials will be distributed.
Kamalden listed those entitled to receive zakat to include orphans, the poor who have nothing to feed on, those highly indebted, among others.
Chairman of the occasion, Prince AbdulLateef Fagbemi (SAN), represented by Abdulkadir Adelodun (SAN), decried the haphazard manner in which zakat monies were being distributed in the society, commending the Majlis for adopting effective administration of zakat distribution.
The coordinator of the Zakat Council, Engr. Sa’ad Belgore, who said that the essence of organising the programme was to sensitise more Muslims on the need to pay zakat, disclosed that the council had in December 2022 empowered a total of 128 persons through its zakat programme.
