By Abdulkadir Ahmed Ibrahim, FNGE.
Islam emphasizes the importance of voluntary lawful acts including kindness, compassion, social justice and community welfare. These acts that also encompass the obligatory alms giving (Zakat) and the voluntary generosity (Sadaqah) can summarily be described as charitable acts.
As a fundamental cornerstone of Islam, the key aspects of Charity specified in the Holy Qur’an and the Hadith (Teachings of Prophet Muhammad SAW) that the Faithfuls are enjoined to comply are:
· Zakat (Obligatory Charity) which is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is a mandatory annual tax on a portion of a Muslim’s wealth, used to support the needy and those in need.
· Sadaqah (Voluntary Charity) is any voluntary act of giving or kindness, whether monetary or otherwise, intended to help others. It can include acts like donating to charity, helping those in need, or even a simple act of kindness.
Other Examples of Charity in Islam include donating to charity organizations, helping those in need, whether financially or otherwise, giving a smile or a kind word, removing an object from the path of others, helping a family member in need and canceling a person’s debt.
Individuals, philanthropists, family foundations, private and public funded organizations engage in Charity works driven either by the desire to help others, a sense of moral obligations or to fulfill a religious injunction.
Some private charitable organizations are specifically dedicated to providing aid to those in need, often focusing on specific causes like poverty alleviation, education and healthcare.
One of such of such non-governmental organizations is the International Centre for Islamic Culture and Education, ICICE, established in 2012 in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Abuja, at Wuse II District, by a Philanthropist, Kano City born Alhaji Aminu Baba-Kusa, to support Communities with healthcare services, Poverty eradication, Collection and Distribution of Zakat/Sadaqah, Feeding of fasting Muslims during Ramadan and Promoting the establishment of Waqf among other Charitable activities and programmes.
Since then, the Centre that is the Custodian of A-Noor Mosque along IBB Way, has continued to conduct and hold humanitarian and other Non-profit activities as part of its objectives to assist the less privileged members of the society and to showcase the Islamic Culture of to be a “Brother’s Keeper”.
A recent document from the Office of the Director General and Chief Executive of the ICICE, Dr Kabir Kabo Usman, stated that during Ramadan periods from 2018 to 2024, a total of 252,000 fasting Muslims were provided with Iftar (Breaking of the Fast) Meals by the Centre at the premises of Al-Noor Mosque
The Meals were prepared and served from the proceeds of donations by Philanthropists who choose to be anonymous, family Foundations, Waqf and Charity organisations as organised and coordinated by the ICICE with support from outside Vounteers.
Also during the period under review, ICICE offered free medical care to about 7,000 less privileged members of the society who reported at the Centre during the months of Ramadan.
The report further revealed that under its CARE Programme (provision of community services), the Centre conducted sixteen medical outreaches benefitting 26,000 indigent patients from 2018 to 2024 at different towns, villages, communities and settlements including Refugee camps within the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
In yet another actualization of one of its objectives, the ICICE, conducted two Medical Outreaches at Sauka Village in Lugbe of Waru District (Saturday, March 15, 2025) and at Mpape Community in Bwari Area Council (Saturday, March 22, 2025), all within the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
The humanitarian service event featured free medical consultations, diagnosis, medical laboratory services, and provision of medicaments, foodstuffs, clothes and financial support to indigents and other deserving members of the two communities as well as those from neighbouring settlements, regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender, or age.
The free Medical Services were provided voluntarily by Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses, Laboratory Scientists and other volunteer Medical Personnel as well as others who offered supporting duties.
The Head of the Volunteer Medical Team, Dr. Asiya Muhammad Kolo (who took over from Dr Amina Kumalia a long time head of the team) highlighted the pressing health concerns in the two communities, noting that typhoid, hypertension, diabetes, and malaria were among the most common illnesses.
“While we treated many cases, some required advanced medical attention beyond our available resources. Those in need of specialized care were referred to hospitals for further treatment,” she explained.
She stated that all medicines distributed were carefully selected and approved by a team of medical professionals to address the identified prevalent health issues in the villages.
The Village Head of Sauka, Chief Yusuf Magaji, expressed his heartfelt appreciation, emphasizing how the outreach had brought much-needed relief to his people.
The Chief Imam of Sauka Village, Malam Ibrahim Abdullahi, also commended the Center’s efforts, sharing his personal experience of receiving treatment for high blood pressure and eye problems.
Many of the beneficiaries of the programme, including Badamosi Abímbólá, Janet Zera, and Mary John, expressed their joy and appreciation after receiving food packages, medicines, and clothes.
Ismail Hashim, one of the beneficiaries at Mpape community who was diagnosed with typhoid, diabetes, and malaria, received appropriate medications for his health challenges. He expressed his gratitude and excitement for the support.
A volunteer Nurse in the Medical Team, Bashir Garba advised the community to prioritize personal and environmental hygiene, emphasizing the importance of maintaining good health.
During the just concluded Ramadan period, an average of 1,500 People were provided with Iftar Meals package daily to ease their break of the Fasting at the premises of Al-Noor Mosque. The Relief programme was facilitated by donations from voluntary organisations and individuals who choose to be anonymous.
One of the beneficiaries of the gesture, Olawale Ajadi, expressed his gratitude, stating that the meal package provided relief and was sufficient for both Iftar (evening meal) and Sahur (pre-dawn meal). “I am very happy to have received this food package. Although it is meant for Iftar, it is enough to sustain me for Sahur as well,” he said.
In the month of November 2023, the business management expert, visionary leader and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Baba-Kusa, donated a 3.25 hactares of land housing the Al-Noor Mosque and another edifice as Waqf (endowment) to the International Centre for Islamic Culture and Education (ICICE) in Abuja.
Waqf is an alienable charitable endowment under Islamic law which typically involves donating a building, plot of land, a sum of money and other assets for Muslim religious or charitable purposes with no intention of reclaiming the assets. The donated assets will be held by a charitable trust.
The donor presented the legal documents of the land, including the mosque and the edifice, to the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the ICICE, Professor Ibrahim Sulaiman, at the administrative complex of the centre at Wuse II, Abuja.
Alhaji Aminu Baba-Kusa said he decided to donate the property for the sake of the Almighty Allah and his commitment to the advancement of Islam and Muslim community in the country.
Abdulkadir Ahmed Ibrahim, FNGE., (Kwakwatawa) a veteran journalist is the Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) to the Director General of the ICICE, Wuse II, Abuja. 08/04/2025.
