The visual landscape of Ghana’s development often presents a striking contrast. On one hand, Christian denominations have successfully channelled tithes into the creation of world-class universities, hospitals, basic and secondary schools and financial institutions, among many other initiatives.
On the other hand, a satirical but stinging observation suggests that while these institutions rise, a significant portion of Muslim Zakat and Sadaqat is dissipated on immediate consumption—metaphorically “eating chinchinga”—rather than building the foundations of a modern Ummah.
Zakat: A Public Fund, Not a Private Gift
In Islam, Zakat is not mere “charity” in the sense of a voluntary tip; it is a mandatory fiscal tool intended for social engineering and communal growth. The Quran defines the categories of recipients in 9:60, including “those employed to administer the funds” (Al-Amilina Alayha).
This explicitly implies the need for a formal institution or state structure to manage these resources.
Zakat and Sadaqat are essentially public funds. They are the “taxes” of the faith meant to eliminate poverty and build public utility. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasised that Zakat is “taken from the rich (working class) and given to the poor” (Bukhari), establishing it as a mechanism for the redistribution of wealth.
It is not a private kitty for imams or sheikhs. No religious leader has the right to utilise these funds without strict accountability, as they are the property of the Bayt al-Mal (Public Treasury).
Lessons from the Companions
The lifestyle of the Prophet (PBUH) and the Rightly Guided Caliphs offers a masterclass in the administration of public funds. Accountability: Once, an official appointed to collect Zakat returned and said, “This is for you (the state), and this was gifted to me.”
The Prophet (PBUH) climbed the pulpit in anger and asked if that man would have received a gift had he stayed in his father’s house. This teaches us that any “gift” given to a leader in the line of duty belongs to the public fund.
The Austerity of Umar:
Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab was so meticulous that he refused to use a single drop of oil from the public treasury to light his lamp for private business. He treated Zakat as a Consolidated Fund, ensuring it was used for infrastructure, social security, and the defense of the state, not for the personal comfort of the leadership.
The Problem of “Chinchinga” Culture
The “chinchinga” metaphor describes a culture of immediate gratification. When Zakat is given sporadically to individuals on the street or handed directly to local scholars without oversight, it provides a meal for a day but leaves the community in systemic poverty.
If Ghanaian Muslims continue to treat Zakat as petty cash for snacks or individual handouts, they will remain consumers in a nation where others are builders.
Institutions—schools, tech hubs, and specialized hospitals—require accumulated capital, which can only be achieved through centralized collection.
Ghanaian Muslims should not rely on Christian-built institutions while mismanaging their own Zakat for personal indulgences. Although both groups paid taxes to support these facilities, Christians established them using private religious funds (tithes, offerings, and seeds) long before the state intervened.
To demand accommodation without contributing similar institutional value is to act as though the community lacks the resources it actually possesses.
Understanding Zakat and Jizya
Zakat is an obligatory financial contribution levied not on the poor, but exclusively on working-class and affluent individuals whose personal wealth exceeds a specific minimum threshold known as nisab.
This threshold ensures that the obligation only falls upon those with stable, surplus income after meeting their basic needs.
In early Islamic governance, non-Muslim citizens were similarly obliged to pay a tax called jizya, which functioned as a counterpart to Zakat for the collective security and welfare of the state.
Commending the Zakat and Sadaqat Fund of Ghana
Fortunately, the tide is turning. The Zakat and Sadaqat Trust Fund of Ghana deserve immense commendation for its efforts to institutionalize this pillar of Islam.
By creating a structured system for collection, administration, and disbursement, they are moving away from the “chinchinga” model toward an institutional model.
The Fund ensures that Zakat reaches the eight categories prescribed by Allah while also investing in the future through educational scholarships and healthcare support.
This is the “Consolidated Fund” for the Ghanaian Muslim community. It provides the transparency and professional management that the Quran demands.
Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab demonstrated how Zakat and Sadaqat funds can be used for the wellbeing of all citizens; when he encountered an elderly non-Muslim man begging, Umar ordered that he be supported from the public treasury, stating that it was unjust to collect taxes from him in his youth and neglect him in his old age.
This system effectively integrated all citizens into a unified social security framework where those with means contributed to the protection and maintenance of the vulnerable.
A Call to Action
To build a resilient and self-sufficient Muslim community in Ghana, we must shift our mindset. We must stop the uncoordinated distribution of Zakat that yields no long-term fruit.
If you want to see Muslim-owned universities and hospitals that rival the best in the country, the solution is simple: Direct all Zakat and Sadaqat payments to the Zakat and Sadaqat Trust Fund of Ghana.
By centralising our resources, we move from buying “chinchinga” for the few to building a future for the many. Let us treat our religious obligations with the fiscal seriousness they deserve.
God bless our homeland, Ghana, and make her greater and stronger.
Happy Eidul Adkha.
Alhaji Khuzaima Mohammed Osman
Tafidan Hausa Africa and Europe.
Executive Director, African Security and Development Forum (ASDEF).
