A lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Dr. Abdul-Fatah Kola Makinde, has disclosed that Islam as a complete religion has proferred complete solution

to the problems of poverty, hunger and starvation through  Zakat, Sadaqat and inheritance.

Dr Makinde, who spoke on the topic: “Islam as a tool for Poverty Alleviation in the Society” at the 2010 annual Ramadan lecture organised by the Anwar-Ul-Islam Movement of Nigeria in Lagos, declared that it was possible to eradicate poverty from the society if the rich could share their wealth with the poor.

“We are not created equally; some are rich, while others are poor. God created the rich because of the poor. The rich should help the poor. If all rich Muslims use their Zakat to help the poor, poverty will be eradicated from the society,” he said.

While regretting that the Muslims in the country have no arrangements for Zakat, he called on all rich Muslims in the society to help the poor in order to avoid regrets on the day of Judgment, warning that if they failed to do so, their wealth would become a burden onto them on the day of reckoning.