The gesture by the Africa Muslim Agency last Friday of donating more than 160 bulls to Gambian communities across the country for the feast of Eid-ul Adha is a good move.
The feast is meant, among others, for sharing with the needy, who cannot afford to buy a ram.
Thus, it was appropriate for the agency to provide bulls to be slaughtered and the meat shared among members of the community, including the poor who lack the means to provide a ram for the annual ritual.
In fact, it is high time for other Islamic organizations, institutions and Muslim philanthropists in general to take good care of the needs of the poor, on this occasion, so as to ensure that their desire to be part of the feasts is satisfied.
This is so, especially at crucial moments like Tobaski, when they are totally in need of support to feel that they belong or are a part of society.
We would also like to commend states like
We would advise the organisations that benefited from the gifts to do everything humanly possible to make sure the sacrificial meat reaches the people for whom it is meant to be given, since this was the main reason why it was donated.
People should understand that the bulls donated are not meant for imams alone nor for the village heads or community leaders, but are purposely for all eligible members of the targeted communities; and so the distribution should be done fairly.
It is also the duty of the staff of the Africa Muslim Agency to go round on Tobaski day to monitor the distribution, so as to determine whether the animals were used for the intended purpose.
Indeed, if all the meat is properly distributed it will encourage the donors to do more for their fellow Muslims in The Gambia next year.
Apart from this donation, the agency over the years has been engaged in building mosques, sinking boreholes for village water supply in needy communities, among other projects.
On this auspicious occasion of the Eid, we take this opportunity to commend the agency for the good work it is doing in this country, to promote the glory of Islam, and to urge it to keep up the good work.
