*As Lagos Secretariat Muslims laud Ambode

Chief Missioner, Ansar-ud-deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh AbdurRahman Ahmad has said government has no business dabbling into religious activities, adding that the position of religious leaders whether in Christianity or Islam is for life and cannot be determined by any regulation.

Sheikh Ahmad who was the guest speaker at a retreat organised for members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Lagos Secretariat Muslim Community, Executive Committee, the Shura/Elders’ council, to brainstorm on matters affecting the Mosque and chart way forward for the progress of the Community and Islam in general, held at the VIP Chalet, Badagry recently stressed that it is not out of place for government to monitor the finances of every religious organization that receive offerings and donations from the people, but cannot determine their tenure.

Speaking on the topic, ‘Conflict Management in Mosques’, Sheikh Ahmad said although conflict is inevitable but our ability to manage it is most important.

He said, “There will always be conflict because we are different in all ramifications and our wishes are also different but we have to resolve crises whenever they arise in line with the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Mohammad”, saying conflict and human beings are like sesames twin.

He described a Masjid as not just a place where the five daily prayers or Jumat prayers are observed but a complex where we say our prayers, learn, research, adjudicate, arbitrate, place of refuge, resource centre, nucleus and heartbeat of the society.

On what causes conflict in Masjids, Sheikh AbdurRahman said that the causes of conflict in Masjids include; our understanding of what a Masjid is, administrative and financial management as well as appointment, remuneration and ranking of Imams.

He called for capacity building programmes for the Imams and urged the management of Masjids to re-strategize in the face of emerging trends and ensure that Imams and other Ulamas are remunerated fairly.

The Chairman, Secretariat Community Central Mosque, Ikeja,  Alhaji Saheed Animashaun commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of the state for  upgrading the facilities in the old and new Secretariat Mosques to acceptable standard.

According to Animashaun, the Governor’s interventions included; general repairs and painting of the Alausa Secretariat Mosque and the Multi-Purpose Hall, repair and tiling of the dome, rehabilitation and equipping of the library and supply of furniture.

Others are supply of air-conditioners for the main Mosque, installation of high capacity Public Address System in the main Mosque as well as the newly completed ‘Shamsi Adisa Memorial Mosque’, Old Secretariat, Ikeja which was recently commissioned and handed over to the committee.

He also commended Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr. AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef for facilitating the release of fund and ensuring that the fund was judiciously deployed for the rehabilitation and necessary supplies to the Mosques to the satisfaction of everybody.