The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of Jema’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III has declared street begging by children, popularly known as Almajiri, unIslamic.
He has therefore charged the government, particularly at the state level to rise to their responsibilities of ensuring welfare of every citizen.
The Sultan stated these in Kaduna on Sunday while presiding over the pre-Ramadan meeting of JNI’s Central Committee, held at the JNI headquarters.
The event is an annual meeting meant to set modalities and guidelines for moon sighting and general muslims conduct in the holy month.
Delivering his opening remarks, the Sultan said, the meeting would be discussing issues that affect Muslims and Islam in Nigeria and other parts of the world.
While disclosing that, the issue of Almajiri would be among the challenges to address at the meeting, the Sultan said, “Almajiri does not represent Islam, but hunger and poverty”.
According to him, “Almajiri system of begging is not representing Islam and must therefore be distinguished from Islam. Islam encourages scholarship and entrepreneurship and frowns at laziness and idleness as exemplified by itinerant Almajiri.
“Therefore attempt, must be made to stop the practice Almajiri system of begging among Muslim faithfuls,” he said.
While noting that hunger and poverty were responsible for children begging on the streets, the Sultan charged the government, particularly at the state level to prioritise welfare of their citizens to address hunger and poverty.
He also charged the state governments to strengthen institution of ‘Zakkat’ and endowment to address wanton poverty.
Prominent traditional rulers and Islamic scholars were in attendance at the meeting.
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