The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council is stepping up efforts to improve Zakah collection and distribution by sensitising wealthy Muslims and strengthening coordination at district level.
The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) has moved to revive the collection and distribution of Zakah, targeting wealthy Muslims to increase support for poor and vulnerable members of communities.
The initiative is being spearheaded by the UMSC Department of Zakah Collections and Distribution, headed by Sheikh Abdu-Barri Muhammad Kaloozi, who says weak awareness of the religious obligation has undermined Zakah collection.
The department has begun engaging Muslim leaders across districts to develop strategies for strengthening the programme, starting with Makindye Muslim District.
The first engagement under the department’s annual action plan was a half-day workshop held at the main library of the Islamic Call University College (ICUC) at the UMSC headquarters.
Sheikh Kaloozi told Muslim leaders that Zakah is one of the five pillars of Islam and urged them to intensify sensitisation, particularly among wealthy Muslims, about their obligation to give part of their wealth to 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,” he said.
He said reviving the Zakah system was necessary as poverty continues to affect communities.
“Indeed, it is being experienced as the majority of our people are now lamenting about biting poverty everywhere,” Sheikh Kaloozi said.
The meeting also examined challenges affecting the collection and distribution of Zakah and discussed measures to improve the programme.
Muslim leaders considered and adopted proposed approaches for implementing the department’s action plan, with the UMSC seeking to strengthen its role in coordinating Zakah contributions and their distribution to intended beneficiaries.
The initiative comes as the council seeks to make Zakah a more effective mechanism for supporting Muslims facing economic hardship.
The UMSC plans to continue engaging Muslim leaders as part of its mid-term action plan to strengthen Zakah collection and distribution across communities.
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