•As LEMU holds Quarterly Dawah

By  Mariam  Kareem

Muslim scholars have reiterated the need for Muslims to actively participate in the political process of the country, involve in policy formulations and good governance for the benefit of all.

At the quarterly Dawah and Workshop organised by Lekki Muslim Ummah, LEMU, held at the Lekki Central Mosque hall, MURIC Director, Prof. Lakin Ishaq Akintola, the founder of Ma’ad Al Baseerah, Dr Afeez Adeyemi and Chief Imam of LEMU, Imam Ridwan Jamiu charged Muslims not to sit on the fence at this critical time in our nationa life as the choice of a good leader will help to move the country forward.

The theme of the lecture was “Role of Muslims in Nation Building.”

Prof Akintola decried what he called the age-long marginalisation of the Muslims in the region, arguing that it is the turn of South-West Muslims to become President. 

He streesed that the cry of Islamisation and fulanisation of Nigeria is a fluke, adding that out of 17 governors in the region, only one, being the governor of Osun State is a Muslim who recently lost his re-election bid, adding, “yet they are crying islamisation and fulanisation.” 

“We cannot be decision makers if we do not participate in politics. We must be part of the decision-making process of the country, the engineers of the political architecture of this country. 

He condemned the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, view on the Muslim-Muslim ticket, noting that Dogara Local Government could not tolerate the presence of Muslims.

“Taraba is a Muslim-dominated state and the Christian majority hold all the political position in all the local governments. Muslims were denied their inherent rights.”

The Founder of Ma’ad Al Baseerah, Dr Afeez Adeyemi, urged Muslims to be part of the decision-makers as most of the policies enacted affect Muslim families.

“There are so many precedents in Islam that justified and explain choosing leaders.

For example, the first Khalifah in Islam, Seyidina Abu Bakr, was selected for the leadership of all the Muslim Ummah before he was giving bayat, likewise, other khalifas were selected before they were giving bayat.

He noted that a democratic system is a major form of shirks, its ruling cannot lead humans to Allah.

“Democracy is a kufr system and Muslims must be ready to preserve the law of Allah by participating in the electoral process. This should not stop Muslims from participating in the electoral process, as long as you have the intention that all the objective of sharia would be preserved as Allah (SWT) wants it. Whether you are aspiring for the presidency or governorship, you must have it at the back of your mind to protect the interest of sharia.”

“There is no way the present-day politics can lead one to the benefit which Allah ordained for us. It is a man-made law, though we cannot separate ourselves from the system, we must ensure that the shariah law prevails in our homes and wherever we find ourselves.”

Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque, Imam Ridwan Jamiu highlighted four foundations of good governance including a good leader, honesty, institutional infrastructure and responsible followership.

He charged Nigerians especially the Muslims to be careful in choosing the leaders, saying the considerations as prescribed in Islamic jurisprudence include commitment, trustworthiness, character. 

Imam Jamiu also advised leaders to appoint honest people to work with them, adding that a leader must be approachable, disciplined and have the ability to carry people along.

Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Ariyo Olusekun said a situation where a few people are comfortable and the masses are struggling is not good for nation building. 

Also, founder, Hijab Rights Advocacy Initiative, Barrister Mutiat Orolu-Balogun, lamented the incessant harassment of Muslims in Nigeria.

She noted that the issue of Identity crises is a great setback to the ummah.

“ The population of Muslims in the United Kingdom is nowhere close to the population of Nigeria Muslims but they enjoy their rights. Even if Muslims were the minority in the country, their right still needs to be protected.