Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim
Our safe passing through most of the year's festive periods calls for unreserved appreciation as witnessed in the successful completion of Eidul Ad-ha 1446. Most of the activities slated in various quarters to follow the Eid turned out mostly successful and where hitches were recorded, there were reasons to being grateful afterall. All praise is due to Almighty Allah (SubhanaHu Wa Ta'ala (SWT)) for the blessings. May the peace and blessing of Allah (SWT) be upon the soul of the noble Messenger Muhammad (Salla Llahu Alayhi Wasallam (SAW)) and all sincere followers of his guidance toll eternity. This edition offers to ruminate on the current trend in the political sector as it affects individual and generality of Muslims in particular and humanity in general with a view to suggest various ways-out of the current unpleasant economic situation in the nation.
Just yesterday Nigerians celebrated 19th anniversary of unbroken return to Democratic rule. Against the backdrop of the Nigeria Civil War between 1967 to 1970, the nation's stability for almost two decades on the platter of self governance through tick and tin calls for sobre reflection. Some hypothetical but puzzling questions informed the topic at hand part of which include the need for the polity to hold accountable those in the helm of affairs in their efforts to administer their life. The dual-edged horizon and complimentary duties of leader and the led in galvanizing sustainable development forms another reason. Another angle to the rationale for this edition appears historical in terms of numerous anticedence in political enclave and dispositions of the polity. What benefits ordinary men does not go beyond the dividends of governance to permeate nooks and crannies of the grassroot environment. This, however, boils down to responsiveness and charlatan attitude of both leaders and the led in order to harbinger coordinated harmony necessary for peaceful coexistence.
Allah's directive on this aspect is categorical when He says: "Is then one who walks headlong, with his face grovelling, better guided, or one who walks evenly on a straight way? (Qur'an 67:22)". A longitudinal view of this Ayah (verse) concerns each and every individual with definite duties and responsibilities towards self, close and distant others in order to harness tranquility of the ecosystem. Both human and non- human species are not left out in the chain of the system. For, what negatively affects in-animate beings like animals and plants has negative impact on mankind since they either constitute sources of food or shelter. To this end, it suffices to place on record that nothing -whatsoever- is hidden or excepted in the reckoning of human stewards. Causing disharmony in the cosmo-arrangements is definitely hanging on man like the sword of damocle, the aftermath of which brings succor or otherwise in the system.
The effect of this situation is better exemplified in the following Hadith. "From 'Ataa' bn Abi Rabah, from Ibn Umar (Radiya Llahun Anhu (RA)), from the Prophet (SAW) who said: 'The legs of son of Adam would not be allowed to leave the site of Allah on the Day of Judgement until he is questioned on five main things: his life where he spent it, his youth where he burnt it, his wealth where he sourced it, and where he spent it, and manner of deeds with his knowledge." This quoted Hadith bears relevantly on the aftermath of every deed of men in their multi-various dimension to attract either reward or doom. Nevertheless, the Nigeria political enclave appears with much of characters appointed and nominated and lots more of elements non-desirable in the spheres of administration. The above assertion places before us arrays of individuals, cohorts and groups of people who dominate the political circle. As things appear, political indolence and utter disregard for dignity of labour and these form the bane of political development. A lot of factors are responsible for the Nigerian woes as it affects the polity. Inequality in opportunities to political and electioneering positions often presents square peg in round hole, a situation which accounts for non-realization of political ideal as it is obtainable in advanced nations.
To address this issue, the two years into President Bola Tinubu's administration offers opportunity of assessing the roles of leadership towards addressing the current discomfort. Education formation should be organized in a way to ensure healthy synegy between home and school, mosque, churches and other places where education is obtained. Combination between moral and material knowledge is not unessential to galvanize non-humanmachine beings in physic and mentality. There is need for spirality of curriculum such that education obtainable at whatever level bears relevance at all time of human development. Free-Of-Charge (F.O.C)mentality in the manners of building human beings should be seen as aberration and be avoided. This goes along with the danger inherent in Entitlement mentality which endears most members of the polity to adoption of lesser profitable or non durable means of livelihood. Prayer as seen as unfailing generator serves as guiding propeller in many endeavours though, Muslims should also engage in entrepreneurial and skillful enterprising.
Besides, is Nigeria not fit into the similitude of a hypothetical Mega village mentioned in the Glorious Qur'an 16:112? It reads: " Allah sets forth a parable: a city enjoying security and quiet, abundantly supplied with susenance from every place: yet was it ungrateful for the favours of Allah: so Allah made it taste of hunger and terror (in extremes) (closing in on it) like a garment (from every side), because of the (evil) which (its people) wrought." Our Democracy would only enjoy features of sustaining the polity if only going to the drawing board of gratefulness, being chalant about common interest and leveraging on concern and love for others are made the watchwords.
The current situation places before us numerous tasks of rebuilding the polity just as reciprocating the gestures by the polity is equally important. Parents who crave for and train children to be utterly indisciplined appear with postponement of evil days. Galvanizing results for children and worse-still, building invincible mentality in children and that parents can offer anything to ensure children get everything on the platter of arrogance is a deadly omen. It is to this end that returning discipline to schools as incubating center becomes inevitable. If advanced nations like America could reverse back to return of discipline to schools, Nigeria would perpetually shoot itself on the leg by not towing the line of discrete punitive measures on erring children in their wanton cruz to Gen-Z generation. Not only that, as a central theme of the Prophetic Hadith which says: 'ان الله ليØصي بالامراء ما لا ÙŠØصي بالانبياء meaning: "Surely Allah used to actualize with mundane leaders what seems inpracticable with Prophets.' This shows it is high time stern measures are taken on inordinate importation of gutter culture ingrained in in-mates of rehabilitation homes in Britain and America. In contra-distinction to that, reviving the fervent and respected culture of dignified integrity should be earnestly cultivated.
The non-availability of discipline in schools had led us to a situation of lack of control with its attendant effects of dimensional insults rained on teachers and school authorities. Adding to the fact that Primary education which might probably be the least education forum attended by some children appears devoid of Islamic and moral studies and this implants gravely on immoral exactitude currently experienced in the society. This, to a large extent, is an offshoot of lack of Islamic Studies teachers in schools coupled with the fact that most parents prefer taking children to non-Muslim schools. Demanding for urgent employment of Islamic studies teachers should be seen as a matter of urgency.
Not only that, participating actively in grassroot politics is another side to individual and national development. A situation whereby politics is seen as 'Dirty game' calls for adequate impetus to sanitize the enclave in earnest to avoid leaving the sector for most political stalwarts who seem to professionalize the environment but with little or no other profession to fall back upon. This is against standing to be known for political structural projects in the semblance of earlier political magnates in the nation. Correcting the earlier mess by re-engineering efforts, focus and projective vision would as well create nobility as against the maxim of politics being dirty game.
Above all, the political sector should be skewed in a way to teach and train people how to fish for themselves as against continual giving them fish which only sustains not the polity but also subjects them to perpetual appendage of political figures. Other factors include instilling selfless instinct, being disposed to goodness and projecting for future generation as standing tall in stemming tide around political environment appears integral to totalitarian development. Let's draw curtain here untill we meet again in the next edition. Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria, Long live individual and ganeral well-meaning Nigerian. Thanks for being there always. Ma'as Salaamah.
#Democracy Anniversary
#Accountability
#Islamic Views
DR. RAZAQ BOLAWAYE UTHMAN, IMAM & MISSIONER ANSAR-UD-DEEN SOCIETY OF NIGERIA IPAJA BRANCH LAGOS STATE NIGERIA.
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