A special taskforce in Kano is to enforce collection of Zakkat from the wealthy and organisations for charity.
Zakkat is a religious obligation requiring Muslims to donate a portion of their wealth each year to charity.
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It is believed the donation purifies yearly earnings that are over and above what is required to provide the essential needs of a person or family.
The 11-member committee was set up by the Kano State Zakkat and Hisbah Commission.
“As Ramadan approaches, there is the need to give out to the less privileged and support them,” said the chairman of the commission, Usman Yusuf.
It will visit Islamic banks and popular haunts of the rich to remind them of their obligations.
“This committee, as from today will go to Tahir Guest Palace, Ni’imah guest inn, Jaiz bank and Taj bank, to remind them about the importance of Zakkat,” said Yusuf.
In his remarks, the Director General of the commission, Safiyanu Abubakar, said that the action was a deliberate move to help the needy in the state.
“The Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, in his effort to alleviate suffering of less privilege, the poor and the disabled, approved our appointed to lead the committee.
“It is compulsory for every well to do individual or organization to give out s certain percentage of their wealth as Zakkat”, he said.
Abubakar further explained that the commission had come up with a new method of collection with enforcement that every wealthy individual must pay his Zakkat.
“Members of state House of Assembly, especially the religious affairs committee, has sat, discussed and given us the mandate to collect Zakkat.
“As a committee, we are trying to institute a stand that anyone seeking to contest any election in the state must present evidence that he or she has been paying Zakkat to the commission,” he said. (NAN)
