As a way of setting agenda for the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, Islamic scholars have called on the Federal Government to tackle insecurity in the country, saying it should a priority.
They noted that the current security challenges were scaring away foreign investors in the country.
Rejoicing with Muslims as they celebrate Eid-el-Kabir on Wednesday after the Arafat Day, the clerics enjoined the government to mitigate the current hardship in the country and also check the rising inflation. The scholars also explained the importance of Arafat Day and what it means to every adherent.
Speaking on the festival, the Chief Imam of University of Lagos (UNILAG) Muslim Community, Prof. Ismail Musa, enjoined the Federal Government to ensure that every Nigerian is treated with dignity, saying Nigerians voted in the last elections because they wanted a good government that would reduce their burden.
Musa, who called on the people to support the current administration with their prayers, said: “We are again in a season that reminds us of thanksgiving, sacrifice and faithfulness. It is the season of Hajj, the last of the five pillars of Islam. It is a season of fasting because Muslims are admonished to fast for the nine days in the month of Dhul-Hijjah, especially on the ninth day, which is the Day of Arafat — the Greatest Day of the year. For non-pilgrims, fasting on the Day of Arafat atones for the sins of the previous year and the sins of the next year.”
He disclosed that the Prophet (PBUH) also said “Hajj is Arafat”, noting that whenever a pilgrim misses the duty of standing on the plains of Arafat in Makkah, he irretrievably loses the entire Hajj, adding that the Day of Arafat is significant for both pilgrim and non-pilgrim.
The varsity don stated that when pilgrims in Makkah are deeply engrossed in various spiritual activities on Arafat Day, the rest Muslims would fast, recite the Quran and supplicate.
Explaining further, Musa said: “The next three days after Arafat are days of sacrificing animals as a mark of obedience and submission to Allah. As Muslims celebrate Idul-Adha, they must focus on God’s unfailing faithfulness to His creations. He fulfills His responsibilities as the Sustainer of the universe. He constantly demonstrates His sovereignty and power over His creatures through His unending acts of mercy, care and kindness. He reminds us that He is not a power-wielding God.
Rather, He deploys His power for the well being of His creatures. By His power, crops grow, rains fall, rivers flow and air is available to all. It is also by His command that we have regular sunshine, moonlight and the seasons. No other power can make these happen except through His unique powers. God wants mankind to use power derived from the ultimate power of God for the welfare of all.”
Alhaji Nasir Awhelebe Uhor, Rivers State Islamic Leader/Vice President General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Rivers State
The Rivers State Islamic Leader/Vice President General and Chairman, Association of South-South Muslim Ummah of Nigeria, Alhaji Nasir Awhelebe Uhor, reminded those in authority that Nigerians’ most essential need is good governance.
According to him, good governance is the enthronement of justice and equity.
He called on President Tinubu to change the narratives by ensuring that his administration lays emphasis on equity and justice, saying Allah created heaven and earth and instituted justice and equity as the foundation of human activities and anything that lacks equity and justice will not work.
He noted that the nation’s security challenges are the results of government’s failure to apply the principle of equity and justice in its affairs.
“There is inequity in the distribution of services and resources. If there is justice and equity, there will be no security crisis or dispute. So, whosoever is the leader should treat all segments of the society and all parts of the country equitably and be just, and there will be very minimal crisis in the country. This is because every body’s interest have been taken care of,” he said.
He called on the government to make the nation’s refineries functional again. He, however, questioned the rationale of not ensuring that the Dangote Refinery commissioned a few weeks ago has commenced working before removing fuel subsidy.
He said: “Take the issue of petroleum for instance; we have a refinery (Dangote refinery) that have been commissioned and have the capacity to produce over 600,000 barrels of fuel and we still lack fuel to the extent that the pump price fluctuates from N500 to N700 per litre. Government should have allowed the new refinery to commence production and flood the market with its products before removing the subsidy; this would have helped to reduce the pump price from N500 to something less. The nation’s refineries are not working because there is social injustice and inequity.
“Again, we were told that some people are sponsoring the bandits, which is the main reason security challenges are not abating. Why can’t our security agencies get these sponsors or eliminate these evil groups at their roots? Why is it that no government is going after the sponsors too? Meanwhile, people are killed on a daily basis. Some can’t even go to their farms and travelling by train or by road has become a problem. How can the country survive in this manner? So, the greatest problem now is how to address all these issues?
“The problem of the Niger Delta is different from that of the North. The problem of North is not the same with that of the West or the East. Nigerians interact freely, intermarry freely and attend occasions or do business together. What then is the problem? It is nothing but governance because equity and justice have been thrown over board.”
Uhor urged Nigerian politicians to adopt a one chamber legislative house as a way of saving cost of governance.
“What is Nigeria doing with the two-chamber legislative house at a time like this? What are they doing that one chamber cannot do? A serious government will reduce it to one chamber and everybody will be on allowance so that they can use the remaining period to do their personal businesses. You can imagine the huge sums of money the country would have saved if the one chamber system had been adopted. Look at the humongous amount set aside as retirement benefits for governors, deputy governors, among other officials, while civil servants who work for 30 days in a month go without salaries. These are serious injustices government must address,” he added.
Describing Arafat Day as the soul of Hajj, he noted: “If you go to Hajj and you have not gone to Mount Arafat you will be missing the major rite of Hajj. It is on this plain that you make your supplications to Allah and whatever you ask for will be granted. It is on Mount Arafat that Prophet Mohammed (SAW) gave his last lecture, which is why it is very important. Mount Arafat reminds one of his responsibilities of the Hajj he/she has come to perform and the need to inculcate the ethics of Hajj. You are to live with the lessons of Hajj not only on Arafat, but also throughout one’s lifetime.
“In fact, if those in authority who are on Hajj right now can come back and implement or practice all the ethics of Hajj, Nigeria will be a better place to live.”
The leader of South-South Muslim Ummah said that it was on the Arafat Day that Allah ordered Prophet Abraheem to sacrifice his son, Ismail, in which Allah later provided a ram for the sacrifice.
According to the cleric, the festival depicts a very happy occasion because Allah provided a ransom for the sacrifice and afterwards celebration followed. He disclosed that before the celebration, the faithful have to subject themselves to meditation and supplication to Allah, and after that the Eid-el-Kabir follows the next day.
He enjoined faithful to celebrate with whatever they have with their family members, loved ones and neighbours, advising that they should avoid borrowing, which he said is not allowed in Islam.
In the same vein, the Chief Missioner of Nasru Lahi-l-Fatih Society (NASFAT), Imam Morufu Abdul-Azeez Onike, has called on President Tinubu to put more effort at tackling insecurity, reviving the economy.
He also advised him to include people from all regions of the country in his government.
The missioner stated that security is key to the day-to-day life of Nigerians, adding that once the nation is secured and individuals are safe to freely move around, “investors will come to invest, even foreigners will be able to inject funds into the economy and the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) will thrive.”
He added: “The first area of focus is security, then the reviving of the economy and the third aspect, re-orientation the people’s mindset to enable us regain our values, build mutual trust across board and tolerate each other. We should have interfaith relationship and those fanning the embers of discord at the slightest provocation in attempt to ignite tribal enmity should be cautioned.”
Disclosing that Arafat Day is the day Allah pronounced Islam as a religion, Onike said: “On the Day of Arafat people are forgiven their sins and once you are in Mecca you will be exempted from fasting on this day. Those who are not in Mecca would be encouraged to fast, but those who are standing on Mount Arafat will be exempted from it because they will be engaged in serious prayers from morning to evening. For those outside Mecca, it is advisable for them to fast on that day because it is the day God will forgive them their sins committed the previous year and the year to come. It is a day that Muslims are expected to set aside to pray and glorify Allah. The following day, Eid-el-Kabir will be celebrated.”
Calling the faithful to abide by the teachings of Eid-el-Kabir, which include submission, patience and reliance on the Almighty Allah, Onike noted that Allah requires consciousness from every Muslim by way of fasting, going to Hajj and killing of ram.
He urged Muslims to be law-abiding, seek to improve themselves in the knowledge of Allah and also to pray for the current administration for good governance and to finish well.
For the Imam of Zakariyya Mosque, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos, Abdulqadir Abdullateef Olamilekan, Arafat Day is the holiest day in the Islamic Hijri Lunar Year.
He said: “Arafat is the ninth day of Dhu’l-Ḥijjah, the 12th and final month in the Islamic calendar. It occurs on the second day of the Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah that Muslims are obligated to perform at least once in their lifetimes, if able.”
Olamilekan noted that not observing Arafat in its proper place and time is no Hajj, adding that all other aspects and rites of Hajj have some lawful ways to make them up or modify them. “There are factors that may excuse one from observing them,” he stressed.
He enumerated some of the special virtues of Arafat Day to include the day God perfected Islam as a religion, the day God bestowed the completion of His divine favour upon Muslims and humanity and the day God said He chose and was pleased with Al-Islam — The Peace — as the religion of believers unto the end of the world, among others.
