A RELIGION IN NEED OF PASSIONATE FOLLOWERS

In the Name of Allah Most Beneficent The Most Merciful. All Protocol of Praises due to
Allah and His Messenger (s.a.w.) are duly observed.

The fortune of Islam and by implication Muslims in Nigeria in the past few years cannot
be said to be satisfactory to most kin observers. This unfortunate turn of events could be
traced to several human errors committed more by the Muslims themselves than by any
other external factors.

Last week I wrote on the need to set the right priority in life for ourselves in other to
guide our actions and to remain focused and dedicated to the main issue behind our
existence. I went further to identify the right priority in life to be Allah, the Almighty as
the only logical possibility by citing revelations, historical experiences and logical
analysis. As a result, the only sure way prescribed by Allah Himself to mankind at
fulfilling their obligations to God is through the greatest religion on earth, Islam. This
fact has been severally attested to by even non Muslims but great minds in history such as
Michael H. Hart, the author of THE 100, a ranking of the most influential persons in
history and Robert W. Mond among others.

Unfortunately, most Muslims do not appreciate their status simply because they just
found themselves in Islam by accident of birth in most cases. So their attitude to the
religion is that of a diamond owner who do not really know the value of diamond. A lot
has been taken for granted, and many view religious obligations as past time activities
even when they claim their priority in life is God, The Creator.

Closely associated with getting ones priority right is showing greater passion towards
achieving the targeted priority through sound knowledge of issues surrounding this
priority. It is most unfortunate that Nigerian Muslims lack passion for their religion and
as a result, the religion as suffered serious set back and dwindling fortune in recent past.
What we have witnessed in the past during religious clashes ( may Allah forbid such
again), where innocent souls were killed and maimed, cannot be a demonstration of
passion to ones faith but rather a negative way of showing passion and further
discrediting the religion. The passion I am talking about here is positive passion that
affect peoples live positively and further promotes the individual and collective fortune of
the religion and its followers.

The dictionary described passion as a strong emotion, an ardent love, zeal, eager desire,
hope and joy. Passion is the greatest mover and spring of the soul. A famous author and
motivator once wrote: “Anytime you see a student with an average IQ perform great
feats in the academic world, give passion the credit.” That is another way to define
passion, it builds and uplift not destroy and relegate. We may have to affirm absolutely
that nothing great in this world has been accomplished without passion and every great
religion has passion at its source.
Islam wouldn’t have survived the early hatred and persecution faced by its followers if
they had not demonstrated greater passion for the religion and the noble prophet (s.a.w.).
I subscribe to the opinion that if Nigerian Muslim can give only 50% of passion shown
by their Christian counterparts to their religion and faith, the story will have been
different. And sometimes, lack of passion is caused by misplaced priorities and an
absolute lack of understanding of the principles and practices of Islamic religion by these
Muslims.

Most of their actions are tailored towards selfish and egocentric goals which do not uplift
the religion and its followers in actual sense. The most relevant example at this particular
time is the way and manner some rich and wealthy Muslims claimed to be sponsoring
people for pilgrimage to the holy land. Ordinarily, this may have been a noble act but not
under the circumstances we found ourselves as a nation and as a people.

Surely, the greater percentages of those doing this are doing it either for recognition or
political reasons or other un-Islamic motives. Few others may be doing it to copy or out
of ignorance and of course unwillingness to know or learn the right thing. Share waste of
scarce resources which may not attract any reward from Allah but may even attract
punishment in some cases. Remember the Hadith that talked about intentions and also the
one that condemn performing any act that may suggest show off in any form as being un-
Islamic and will not be rewarded.

And to the best of my knowledge, no where in the notable Islamic codes or guides was it
stated that sending or sponsoring people to Mecca for Umrah or Hajj is an act of worship.
While The Qur’an and Hadith enjoins spending for the uplift of the religion and the
needy in a way that will improve their quality of lives and standard of living. The
question then is; ‘why will anyone want to show generosity and lavish money on a
project that is not categorized as act of Ibadah? While in the stead, many noble act of
worship through ones wealth and services to Allah and humanity are neglected by these
same people.

The Qur’an says: “And render to the kindred their due rights, as (also) to those who
want, and to the way fearer: But squander not (your wealth) in the manner of a
spendthrift. Verily, spendthrifts are brothers of the Satans and the Satan is to his Lord
(Himsef) ungrateful.” Qur’an 17: 26-27. Yusuf Ally wrote in his commentary that all
charity, kindness, and help are conditioned by our own resources. There is no merit if we
merely spend out of bravado or for idle show. How many families are ruined by
extravagant expenses at weddings, funerals, etc., or (as they may call it) to ‘oblige friends
and relatives’, or to give to able-bodied beggars?

To no one was this command more necessary than it is to Muslims of the present day.
Spendthrift are not merely fools, they are of the same family with the Satans. And the
Satan himself fell by his ingratitude to Allah. So those who misuse or squander Allah’s
gift are also ungrateful to Allah.
Take the Mega-city of Abuja as a case study and tell me how many Mosques are of a
befitting standard to that known in Saudi Arabia that they take money to every year in the
name of sponsoring pilgrims? How many Muslim beggars and destitute are in Nigeria
compared to that of Saudi Arabia? Some of them even sponsor beggars to make brisk
money from begging for their sponsors. What a shameful act and a fearless way of
inviting the wrath of Allah.

Hajj is the last Pillar of Islam and it is conditioned for only those who have the means, in
terms of health and wealth, to undertake the journey. No punishment is attached to
inability to perform Hajj in ones life time and it has No diminishing effect on other acts
of worship or Pillars of Islam. So why the need to waste scarce resources yearly in
sponsoring people to Hajj or Umrah when in actual sense such money can turn their lives
around and give them a better and befitting standard of living. A befitting standard of
living will surely enhance more devotion to the worship of Allah.

To give the poor and needy about N250, 000 to start a business or pump into an existing
business will surely benefit him and his family more than sponsoring him to Hajj while
he comes back to his abject poverty and miserable life. And definitely the former is far
more rewarding and fulfilling.

Report that reached me during the last Ramadan fasting from one of those who
participated in the last ten days of I’tikaf (total devotion to Allah in seclusion) at the
National Mosque in Abuja, and particularly those who came from neighbouring states of
the Federation, were left to their fate to starve until succuor came from an unexpected
quarter. It was the Rivers State Governor, Sir Peter Odili, who came to their rescue by
supplying them foods and drinks for both Suhour and Iftar till the end of Ramadan. This
is a big shame to all wealthy Muslims in this country.

Yet in Saudi Arabia that they go every year and sponsor scores of people for Umrah and
Hajj, they must have seen how wealthy Saudians provide foods and all known assorted
drinks and even yogurts to pilgrims from all over the world during Umrah or Hajj. They
have never deemed it fit to copy this exemplary way of demonstrating the show of
gratitude to Allah for making them so fortunate in life.

Aside of being the last Pillars of Islam, Hajj or Umrah is also compulsory on those who
meet the requirement only once in their life time. But in Nigeria, wasting scarce
resources to Hajj and Umrah every year is what we celebrate. What a way to demonstrate
religious ignorance and lack of passion for ones religion. What we have as National
Mosque in Nigeria with all the attendants decay of infrastructure and lack of maintenance
is far smaller than what an individual will single-handedly build and maintain to an
excellent state in Saudi Arabia.

The habit of setting stones and blocks to observe prayers is what we celebrate here,
abusing the privilege that makes all place pure for Muslims to observe their prayers. But
didn’t Allah say in the Holy Qur’an that: “Verily Mosques are for Allah…” shouldn’t we
give our creator the best from what He has blessed us with? I challenge all wealthy
Muslims going for this years Hajj or next year Umrah to visit ‘Fakihi’ Mosque in Mecca
owned by Shiekh Fakihi and other notable Mosques owned by individuals, perhaps they
will learn something.

What I am trying to say here is that sponsoring people to Umrah or Hajj every year or
personally going to Hajj or Umrah every year, except for pilgrims’ officials should not be
our priority amidst neglect of infrastructures, befitting places of worship and abject
poverty of Muslim Ummah. Resources should be better utilized on things that will attract
reward from Allah and in accordance with Allah’s injunctions.

For instance, most Muslim families are forced to enroll their children in Christian schools
where they are thought things that are contrary to what their parents believe and practice
because they could not find alternative around. And the few that are available are far
beyond the reach of a common Muslim family through exorbitant charges of school fees.
In every community, particularly say from Kaduna to South South of Nigeria, the number
of churches and Christian controlled schools far out numbered the number of Mosques
and Muslim schools and the standard is equally favouring the Christians. And statistics
have not shown clearly that Christians are richer than Muslims in Nigeria or are more in
number than the Muslims. But the disparity is simply as a result of their passion and
strong commitment to their faith, a missing link in the Muslim circle.

President Olusegun Obasanjo has thought past Muslim leaders a far reaching lesson on
how to show passion and commitment to ones religion and faith, I personally salute is
courage on that. My prayer and hope is that the lesson should not be lost on the incoming
Muslim President and other Muslim leaders at various level of government.