In commemoration of this year’s Ramadan, an Ilorin-based non-governmental organisation, Pious Muslim Women has commenced distribution of food items worth millions of Naira and cash to many communities across Nigeria under its annual Ramadan Feeding Programme.
The group also congratulated all Nigerian Muslims on this year’s holy month of Ramadan.
The Founder of Pious Muslim Women, Dr. Hamdalat Yusuf, in a statement, described contextualising the Ramadan feeding programme of Pious Muslim women.
According to her, “the activities of Pious Muslim Women Organisation draw from the admonition of the Holy Quran to spend out of what Allah has bestowed upon Muslims to bring succour to those who are less privileged. For instance, in Quran 3 verse 92, Allah says “You shall not attain righteousness until you spend out of what you love (in the way of Allah). Allah knows whatever you spend.” Also, in Quran 14 verse 31, Allah says “Tell those of My servants who believe that they should establish prayer and spend out of what We have provided them with, both secretly and openly, before there arrives a day when they will be no bargaining nor any mutual befriending.”
“Specifically, since 2015, the organisation has distributed food items and cash to many communities across Nigeria heeding Allah’s call in Suratul Baqara verse 274 that “those who spend from their wealth [in Allah’s way] by night and by day, secretly and publicly – they will have their reward with their Lord. And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.”
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Yusuf added: “ Pious Muslim Women International Organisation also hosts Iftar (breaking of fast) every Saturday and Sunday at Tanke, which is the host community for the University of Ilorin. This makes it easy for students to attend and be impacted by life-changing sermons.
“In 2015, two (2) million naira was raised and spent on Ramadan feeding. This initial effort focused on communities in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital. By 2018, this fund increased to 5 million Naira and the communities extended to Osun, Oyo, Ogun and Lagos States. By 2019, Pious Muslim Women International Organisation reached out to communities in 8 states during the month Ramadan. The states were Kwara, Niger, Oyo, Osun, Lagos, Rivers, Kaduna, and Ogun.
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“Despite the COVID 19 pandemic and lockdown in 2020, the organisation was not deterred as over 12 million naira was raised. 9 states benefitted as Kano state joined Kwara, Niger, Oyo, Osun, Lagos, Rivers, Kaduna, and Ogun states with food items such as rice, beans, gari, semolina etc. and money were provided to the less privileged with emphasis on widows and orphans in various communities across these states. The joy on the faces of beneficiaries is but an indication as to the effects the gifts have on the people.
She stated that Northern states of Kaduna, Kano and Niger which would account for the balance of N850,000 would be done in due course.
Yusuf explained that the distribution of the Ramadan food support to indigent Muslims began on Wednesday April 22, 2020, noting that “this year’s feeding exercise will gulp about N10 million to feed 2,000 people.”
She added that Pious Muslim Women generates the bulk of its funds from the contributions of members not only in several states of Nigeria but also in countries like Canada, UK, South Africa, Ghana, Dubai, etc.
The founder stressed that the organisation, whose activities are mostly online, was founded primarily to improve on the spiritual development of its members, adding that it has expanded its focus to accommodate welfare of the indigent ones especially the vulnerable in the society.
Some of its programmes according to her, include youth empowerment through the free training of youths at its fashion training institute; and providing support for entrepreneurial efforts of no fewer than 50 widows every year; scholarship grants to about 20 orphans at the three levels of education as well as ownership and maintenance of an orphanage where it takes full responsibility for 10 orphans from age infancy to age ten.
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