Zakat Foundation of India

Speech of Dr Syed Abid Mahmood, OSD-ZFI
at Zakat House, Bahraich on Nov 30, 2025
 

I begin in the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Master of the Day of Judgement. All praise belongs to Him. And all of us have to return to Him. 
 

Salam & Durwood to Huzuur-e-Aqdas, SallAllahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam & his progeny.  
 

Respected Elders and Colleagues,

Asak !
 

1.  Since the very beginning of my life, from wherever my father was posted as a senior govt officer, I used to come to this impressive complex of buildings: as an infant, as a baby, as a boy and so on. 
 

2.  For the first time now I feel doubly blessed that I am here as an humble representative of ZFI’s national headquarters in New Delhi. 
 

3.  I’m here basically to see for myself the wonderful works and projects of ZFI that are so meticulously being implemented by all of my elders & colleagues here.
 

4.  This plot of land was purchased by my Dada Sahab Alhaaj Syed Mahmood Hasan Sahab ‘AlaihirRahmat and, out of his hard earned professional income, he got these buildings constructed here about 90 year ago. He had a long purposeful abode here. 
 

5.  May Allah bless his soul as well as the souls of my grandmother —— and the sister and three brothers of my Abbu Sahab, Ameen. 
 

6.  This cherished place is also the place of birth of my dear Abbu Sahab. Very happily he spent the first 17 years of his life in these blessed precincts, studied in the local Montessori School till class 5th and then in the Govt Inter College upto class 12th. All through he offered daily prayers in the nearby Masjid Fatima and the Friday Namaz in the adjoining Jama Masjid. 
 

7.  After passing class 12, he moved to the Aligarh Muslim University where he did his Honors in Physics, Masters in Political Science, Doctorate in Public Administration, taught for three years at AMU as Lecturer and then passed the prestigious UPSC Civil Services Exam in 1977. 
 

8.  For the next 32 years he served in senior Govt positions across five Indian states and abroad including as First Secretary (Haj) & Director of Indian Schools in Indian Embassy is Saudi Arabia; as Administrator, Combined Waqf Board of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, and as Officer on Special Duty appointed by the prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh. 
 

9.  In that capacity, his charge included getting the works done in record time of the PM’s High Level Committee for Muslims that was later known as Justice Rajinder Sachar Committee. 
 

10.  In 2009, my father retired from New Delhi as Chief Commissioner.  
 

11.  As we are all aware, in 1997 my father and some other equally enthusiastic lovers of the Ummah, jointly established the registered charitable trust known as Zakat Foundation of India headquartered in New Delhi. As of now, across India, ZFI runs more than 20 charitable projects of micro and macro levels. 
 

12.  I’m extremely happy that this Zakat House in Bahraich, which is a unit of Zakat Foundation of India, is MashaAllah running Mercy Home Medical Centre for the needy patients, Fatima Tailoring Institute to empower the girls, Library & Reading Room, Masjid Suraiya for daily five-times and weekly Friday Namaz.  
 

13.  And, ZFI runs here its flagship empowerment project known as Sir Syed Coaching & Guidance Center for Competitive Examinations. Under SSCGC at Bahraich, out of 64 candidates who prepared here and appeared at different competitive examinations of state & central levels, 25 have Alhamdulillah so far joined various government services. That makes a high success rate of 39%. 
 

14.  Congratulations to all of you, my respected elders and colleagues, and to the candidates who have been working hard. May Allah bless larger number of candidates with success from year to year, Aameen.
 

15.  For this purpose, we need to expand, regularize and professionalize our outreach among our youth who are now studying in District Bahraich and beyond, in class 9th to 12th as well as those who have already passed class 12th.  In this regard, I convey to you the decision of ZFI Headquarters to appoint Janab Khalid Naeem Sahab, as ZFI Member Incharge for such Outreach program. He would kindly take up this selfless work on a regular basis. All of us here in Bahraich and in Delhi will help him in this endeavor. Surely, that would be useful to multiply the number of aspirants in SSCGC here. 
 

16.  In the SSCGC Hostel here, the existing tin roof is not very convenient particularly during extreme weathers. The structural map for proper construction of the hostel was very kindly prepared a few years ago by the respected Architect Janab Siraj Naiyar Sahab. Even a few columns and beams (perhaps including some underground beams) had been cast. We need to please revive that project with the help of Janab Siraj Sahab and, in the first phase, at least the ground floor roof may be cast at the earliest. 
 

17.  Till a few years ago ZFI Bahraich used to have regular sessions of QURAN FAHMI. That practice needs to be kindly revived by our Co-Convenor Janab Mohd Ayaz Sahab who was doing this work earlier.  
 

My elders & Colleagues, 

18.  The south western portion of this Zakat House has recently come into the ownership of ZFI, with extraordinary efforts of our Convenor Janab Syed Shafa’at Ali Sahab. 

Earlier this portion belonged to (late) Syed Khalid Mahmood Sahab. 
 

19.  I am happy to convey to you the decision of the ZFI HQ to name Khalid Sahab’s portion as 

DAARUL KHULD.  دارُالْخُلْد   दारुल ख़ुल्द 

That Means, “A level in paradise”. 

بہشت کا ایک درجہ   बहिष्त का एक दर्जा 

This word KHULD has the same 3-letters Arabic root as in the name ‘Khalid’. 
 

20. DARUL KHULD is currently in the process of internal repairs & renovation. Our dutiful Supervisor of Zakat House, Janab Juned Ahmad Sahab is getting the work done under the able guidance of Janab Engineer Rajab Ali Sahab. 
 

21.  Jointly we have to explore, discuss and finalize proper utilization of DARUL KHULD. There was a proposal to open a pathology lab but we know that the clientele there involves the practice of paying hefty commission to the referring doctor. The other proposal worth consideration is to install a DENTAL CHAIR and hire a dentist’s services. Yet an additional option is to put up an OPTOMETRIC CENTRE where patients’ eyesight is checked by a professional and the power of the glasses is recommended. We need to think of more options and finalize our view in this regard at an early date.  
 

22.  We also need to keep in mind our ultimate objective to devise ways and means to make the Zakat House, Bahraich a financially self-sustaining unit. That would inshaAllah go a long way to perpetuate the charitable services being rendered from here. As of now, from the very beginning, ZFI HQ in Delhi remits all the moneys required to run this Unit. Now the time has arrived that we should do our best to endeavor to make this Zakat House financially self-perpetuating. 
 

23.  You’d be happy to know that ZFI HQ has recently provided in Zakat House at Bahraich one of its vehicles from Delhi which is now being made into an AMBULANCE to be used by the poor and needy. 

Besides there has to be necessary documentation from the RTO. In this regard, our ZFI Member Janab Musharraf Ali Siddiqi Sahab is very kindly helping the Zakat House. 

We’ve also to draft the Rules for the usage of the Ambulance. A driver was here from Delhi but initially there was no work so he has gone back. We may also look for a local alternative.  
 

24.  I’ve done more than my share of talking, my respected elders and colleagues. I would stop here to listen to and benefit from all of you. 
 

JazakAllah