By Imran Inamdar
Solapur : In Islam the main purpose of Zakat is empowerment. Many Muslim countries is utilizing the fund of Zakat for the same purpose rather than doing only charitable works. Unfortunately in India this model is not applied commonly although some organizations and individuals have started the utilization of Zakat for the community empowerment. Many a times Zakat does not fulfill its purpose because of improper utilization.
Nazeer Munshi,65 of Solapur (Maharshtra) has set an excellent example of proper utilization of Zakat by financially assisting orphan, poor and needy boys of the community in completing their professional and higher education through his Noor Charitable and Welfare Trust.
The trust is managed single handedly by Mr.Munshi who is a retired railway accounts officer.
Mr. Munshi is also running a marriage bureau since past 25 years without charging a single penny. Having earned immense respect in community for his charitable work he founded Noor Charitable and Welfare Trust in 2005.
Aimed at community’s educational empowerment the Trust has so far collected an amount of 7, 62,000 from Zakat and benefited 128 needy Muslim students.
65 of these students have successfully completed professional courses like MBA, MCA, BE etc and have landed in decent jobs in private companies, while 63 are currently studying.
Speaking to MuslimMirror.com Mr. Munshi said that “I feel very good when I do something for a needy person. In 2005 one of my dearest friends called up and advised me to do something concrete for the community for which they shall readily give their Zakat money.”
The very next day, after a long discussion with his close friends Mr.Jaleel, Mr.Iqbal Ansari, Mr.Irfan and Mr.Viqar Sheikh it was decided that they shall utilize their Zakat money for educational empowerment of the community.
“Alhamdulillah within ten years we got very satisfactory and encouraging results” said Mr. Munshi.
(Nazeer Munshi 9960480670)