Alhaji Taofeeq Adeseun is the zonal Chairman of Lagos Zone 1 of Nasru-Lahi-l- Fatih Society of Nigeria, NASFAT. In this interview, he expresses the importance of women in the development of society and in Islam among other issues. Excerpts.

By ADERONKE ADEYERI

Meeting together to learn the teachings of Allah and Prophet Muhammad is quintessential in Islam, why did you make this important aspect a quarterly arrangement?
Organizing this conference firstly, is in fulfilment with our constitutional responsibility as a zonal headquarters. The constitution makes it clear that all the organs popularly known as branches under the Nasru-Lahi-l- Fatih Society of Nigeria NASFAT meets periodically to have a progressive review of the objectives and how to achieve them.  Also, to share practice in keeping with that objectives stated in the constitution and therefore we have chose to meet every three months.

The conference is also a platform to educate, inform and enlighten one another about the teachings of Prophet Muhammed (s.a.w) and to also work on how the zone progresses and getting to understand and tackle every challenge that comes our way as an organ in this noble society. Essentially, the conference is set with the objective to propagate and promote Islam.

If the conference is of the objective of propagating and promoting Islam, why is it restricted among members of NASFAT only?
Well, this is one of our next objectives which I believe the coming administration will work on. Although, there is a program known as Dawah which is not an insular program . Dawah is a program for those outside because it is like speaking to the converted when you are inside . So taking such a program outside will assist in drawing more people to Islam. But organizing such program would be more challenging.

We will have to get an appropriate and befitting venue, create awareness, more publicity and many other things . But I believe very soon, insha Allah, when I am asked such question again, I will be able to answer in the affirmative but our zonal conference is taken the shape of a Dawah program that is extended to the general public.

So, why the choice of the topic at a time like this when the country is facing the challenges of insecurity and corruption?
If you look at the teachings of Prophet Muhammed (s.a.w), you will agree with me that when you teach one person, you have only educated an individual but when you teach a woman, you educate the whole community. Women are the cements that bind the blocks in the family. Also, when a woman gets it right in the house, that entire household will be more in line with the tenets of Islam.

So, it is with this knowledge we came about the topic. However, we had previous lectures based on general topic and this is the first one peculiar to a particular gender. Women are so important that if we guide them aright and if men are also guided aright to understand how best to relate with our women, it will be for the overall improvement of the practice of Islam.

So, are you doing anything on the issue of insecurity and corruption?
I agree that security and safety is of key value to Islam and humanity. But I will come again to the central role of women. If you look at a woman who has control over her household, we will not have children matured into young men who wreak havoc. My mother use to say something when I was growing up “Remember the child of who you are” and I had this phrase to the point of irritation.

But every time, even as an undergraduate I cannot count the number of times this inspirational phrase has stopped me from misbehaving or getting me into trouble. I had this fear that how will I face my mother if she hears any evil report about me. A woman who knows the clothes her child has is the one who would know when the child has started stealing. A woman who can tongue lash her child to the extent of telling the child to kill her first before misbehaving is the woman who gets it right.

Beyond all these, NASFAT as a leading and organized society had a security focused conference at a national level that the Sultan attended, some Christian folks were also in attendance in Abuja which was well publicized in 2012 at the heat of this Boko Haram crisis. One point I will like to stress is that the belief that Muslims are involved in the trouble in the north is erroneous.

You cannot find somebody who call himself a true Muslim involved in the killing of innocent people. Hence, that somebody claims to be something does not mean he is. These are people who do not have  proper understanding of Islam and are going about doing whatever they like in a way Allah forbids and has promised he will punish them for.

As the zonal chairman of Lagos Zone 1, what are those things you have put together to push the zone forward?
As the chairman of this zone, the first thing we did is to have a sense of purpose and unity.
At the last general conference held in Ilorin, Kwara State, our assessment was very clear that in all parameters, Lagos Zone 1 came first which means that we have pushed this Zone forward.

This is based on team spirit that we have put in every one and a sense of been guided by what Allah instructs us to do through the teachings of his prophets. Anyone who is guided by what Allah dictates is bound to come out as number one. We are guided in this Zone strictly by what the Qu’ran hadiths and constitution of NASFAT say, we behave in way that is uniform and seeks to improve on things we have done in the past.

Any project in place under your leadership?
Before any administration can achieve any of its set objectives, the administration would  have to build a good structure. If we embark on projects without having a good structure, the projects will be short lived and that is why what we concentrated on.  We have some projects that we want to embark on like the library, health and social responsibilities to our community. I mean reaching out to our neighborhood. So, we believe with Allah by our side we will get there.