Zakat house: an endogenous solution for the development of the country, according to the president of CERFI

• Hamidou Yaméogo explains

• 1 secondary school soon in Orodara

• It invites religious living together

LThe Circle of Islamic Studies, Research and Training (CERFI) is, of course, known for its confessional dimension, but not only that. CERFI participates in the development of the country, through the construction of secondary schools, dispensaries, boreholes, nursery and primary schools, etc. Better still, it also stands out in the formation of the Muslim faith, with the organization of regional conference-debates. Living together religiously is one of the battles led by the new CERFI National Office, headed by Hamidou Yaméogo. He explained all his projects, during a courtesy visit to the Editorial Office of L’Economiste du Faso, on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Read instead!

L’Economiste du Faso: How is the Circle of Islamic Studies, Research and Training (CERFI) doing in this context where Burkina Faso faces many difficulties, notably insecurity?

Hamidou Yaméogo: The CERFI is in the image of the country, that is to say, it is resilient, to the extent that the center manages to carry out its program of activities as best it can in the regions where it is still possible. We also manage to hold our statutory bodies, the Boards of Directors, the meetings of the National Office, and we announce to you the holding of our general assembly at the end of 2023. We were able to hold these days, a meeting of Muslim cadres, regional conferences. However, we cannot deny that insecurity affects our provincial activities, certain sections of CERFI in the provinces are struggling to carry out activities. For example, apart from Dori, Fada and Dédougou, it is difficult for other sections to carry out activities in the regions of Séno, Gourma and Boucle du Mouhoun. Notwithstanding the security aspect for which we pray to Allah that it will end and that peace will return soon, CERFI continues to carry out its activities.

Precisely, in this fight against insecurity, what can be the role of Muslims for a return to peace in Burkina Faso, and also what can be their contribution to social cohesion between communities?

At this level, CERFI operates on two levels: on the scale of CERFI and on the scale of the Federation of Islamic Associations of Burkina Faso (FAIB). At the FAIB level, CERFI participates in the same way as other associations in the collection of donations in kind (food, clothing, etc.) and in cash that it has initiated. In 2023, the FAIB mobilized the sum of more than 600 million FCFA, handed over to the competent authorities, where CERFI played its part, through its activists and sympathizers. CERFI provided goods in kind and cash donations to this FAIB work. Still at the FAIB level, there are often prayer orders with the accompaniment of all the mosques under its jurisdiction. Among us Muslims, we say that invocation is the soul of the believer. I think that in other religious denominations, it’s the same thing. I think as a believer it is praying to Allah to put his hand for a return to peace. Human intelligence alone cannot overcome this complex crisis. At CERFI level, our core business is reflection and proposing ideas that can help the country get out of the impasse. It is true that we face insecurity, but the solutions do not necessarily have to be military. Bullets can hit terrorists, but terrorism as an ideology requires other approaches to deconstruct prejudices, raise awareness, this is where CERFI intervened, through regional conferences throughout the country, except the Sahel for security reasons, on the theme: “Managing the political crisis in the light of Islamic references”.

What assessment does CERFI make? of the controversy over religious symbols in Christian establishments? And what message should we give to Muslims whose children are in other schools where this rule will be applied?

At CERFI level, we find this news to be a step backwards in terms of living together. Since the Association of Muslim Students of Burkina Faso (AEEMB), we have been in inter-religious dialogue for 30 years with the Catholic Student Youth (JEC) and the university Bible group to avoid doubts and religious prejudices. . 30 years later, that in a Catholic or Protestant school, a Muslim girl is told not to wear the veil is truly a step backwards and that surprises us. My direct cousin is a priest in Koudougou, Father Jéovite Yaméogo. In my family, I have friends and relatives who are more Christian than Muslim. It’s a shame that today, questions of scarves, pieces of fabric oppose us as Burkinabè. I’m not trying to figure out who’s right and who’s wrong. We need to talk to each other so as not to give space to the enemy who attacks us. This is not the time for futile debates about the Islamic headscarf. I think that this is a debate imported from outside, living it together has been acquired for generations, if we lose it, it will really be a step backwards, I call on Muslims, my Protestant brothers and sisters and Catholics to resolve this issue. You see in the great prayers, Ramadan and Tabaski, the presence of Catholic religious authorities and the visits of greetings during these moments without difference of religion and afterwards, in the schools, we reject each other, it is a curious behavior. I invite religious leaders and umbrella leaders to talk to each other, because if they set an example, the faithful will follow.

A word on the wearing of the veil which is now authorized, when the Burkinabè national identity cards (CNIB) are drawn up…

This is only justice done to the Muslim woman. For me, to say that they are now authorized, I do not think that there was a text which prohibited the practice. I have yet to see a formal text that prohibits this. A constitutional or legislative or regulatory provision which prohibited it, no. Now, we are saying that it is authorized, it is as if there was a formal prohibition before. Burkinabè secularism inherited from the French one, built against the church in France (1905 law). If we look closely, we duplicate against religions. From our understanding of secularism, the State must remain equidistant from all religions to allow everyone to live their faith fully and completely. Secularism is not atheism, it must not be against faith, it must bring together all faiths. That people can take the CNIBs with scarves helps us live together. Now there may be limits for public safety reasons. Otherwise, a priori, this is progress.

Where are you with the Zakat house project?

The day before yesterday, we made a scholarship donation as part of the Zakat house project, i.e. around twenty scholarships to primary and secondary school pupils and students. Scholarships ranging from 75,000 to 500,000 FCFA. Islam is a complete religion with prescriptions to govern man’s relationship with God, this is the vertical dimension of Islam. Prescriptions which govern the Muslim believer with his neighbor, this is the horizontal dimension of Islam. Zakat helps to regulate this horizontal question, because a religion is not only a relationship between man and God, it is the relationship with his fellow men, with his neighbor, with those who are not of the same religion. Zakat helps to collect financial resources and redistribute them. Zakat helps solve health, educational and drinking water problems. The zakat implemented at the end of 2022, made it possible to carry out drilling, provide scholarships, build health and social promotion centers without trying to know who will come for treatment, that is the role of the zakat. Now, to give back, people must agree to give the fruits of their labor. That Muslims who have an acceptable level of income can contribute so that we can redistribute to others. Religion should not just be about going to pray at the mosque but about helping social cases. In two years of activities, the level reached is already acceptable, there remains a lot of communication to be done on this. In Burkina Faso, there are businessmen, if they do their balance sheet at the end of the year, if they remove the zakat, it can reach billions of FCFA. These are the ones that can help us achieve our goals.

The Arab countries that give us money to build mosques or boreholes come from zakat. We in Burkina Faso must also find endogenous financing to face the challenge of development and zakat must be part of it. Muslims must work to promote it so that people see another face of Islam. Islam is not only prohibitions or haram, what is the contribution of the Muslim to face social, educational problems…on which our Christian brothers are ahead of us Muslims in terms of health offers , educational…?

We may say that Muslims are in the majority, but the Catholic Church or the Protestant Church helps the State in the areas mentioned above more than we do. Zakat plus other funds should allow us to help the State in the fight for development.

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With the zakat house, what are the results obtained in the area of ​​educational provision?

CERFI is also present, apart from its confessional dimension, on that of the country’s development challenge, through the construction of regional secondary establishments. As such, we have the project to build the Orodara high school, with extension to a technical high school. The work, launched last week, will cost the sum of 243 million FCFA. Under our mandate, we aim to complete the ground floor which will be carried out to the tune of 75 million FCFA. Said establishment for Burkinabè students, without distinction of religion. We are planning the construction of the teaching high school which will be built just behind the national headquarters of CERFI, in Ouagadougou. This R+3 high school of excellence, which will be launched in the coming months, will serve as an Islamic training center on weekends. It will cost the sum of 546 million FCFA, the objective under our mandate is the construction of the ground floor which will cost 197 million FCFA. CERFI also has other projects in the construction of kindergartens and primary schools at the section and regional level. Added to this are projects in the health sector and cultural centers to be carried out.

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