The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) has started efforts to revive the collection and distribution of Zakah, or obligatory alms, from wealthy Muslims to support less privileged members of communities.
The initiative is being led by the UMSC Department of Zakah Collections and Distribution under Sheikh Abdu-Barri Muhammad Kaloozi, who says there is a need to strengthen awareness among Muslims about their religious obligation to give Zakah.
The department held a half-day workshop with Muslim leaders from Makindye Muslim District at the main library of the Islamic Call University College (ICUC) at the UMSC headquarters.
The meeting was the department’s first engagement with Muslim leaders in Makindye Muslim District under its annual action plan for the current mid-term period.
Sheikh Kaloozi reminded the participants that Zakah is one of the five pillars of Islam and urged Muslim leaders to sensitise the faithful, particularly wealthy Muslims, about the obligation to share part of their wealth with the less privileged.
“You need to sensitise our followers, especially the rich, that whenever they neglect to give back from their wealth to the poor, it draws out Allah’s anger that can result in natural calamities in the form of drought and harsh climate and poverty, among others,” Sheikh Kaloozi said.
He said the need to revive Zakah collection was particularly important amid what he described as increasing poverty affecting communities.
“Indeed, it is being experienced as the majority of our people are now lamenting about biting poverty everywhere,” he said.
The participants discussed challenges affecting Zakah collection and distribution and considered strategies for reviving the programme.They also discussed how to implement the department’s action plan and adopted the proposed approaches.
Among those who attended the workshop were Sheikh Hamid Sserwadda Busungu, Kampala Regional Assistant to the Mufti; Sheikh Fadhir Ausi Kizito, Deputy District Sheikh of Makindye; Sheikh Ali Kayongo, County Sheikh of Lukuli; Sheikh Ahmad Yusuf Waakuze, County Sheikh of Kibuli; Sheikh Hassan Kankanve, County Sheikh of Mengo-Kisenyi; and Sheikh Muhammad Tamusuza, Zakah Officer for Makindye Muslim District.