Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim
Adoration and Glory be to Almighty Allah (SuhanaHu Wa Ta'ala (SWT)) on the numerous blessing the most important of which is living till this moment. He ordained death but He dies not. Abundant blessing be upon the soul of the noble Messenger Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (SAW)) and his entire sincere followers till the Day of Judgement. Bearing witness that the best of directives is divine and best guidance is that of the noble Messenger. We promise to abide with His directives and that of the Prophet's guidance till death do us part.
In the last couple of days we witnessed three main spectacular events - even though its inevitable means sealed the joker. The glorious exit of three personalities poses great signals not only from the point of disappearance but also unfillable vacuum it created. Basically for what? It is not unconnected with the modelling examples the trio represented while alive as epitome of evidential and enviable characters and embodiment of virtues. Not unmindful of the fact that perfection, we mean perfection appears oblivion in human circle but exclusively belongs to Almighty Allah. It must be noted here that the best of behaviours is that in line with Allah's directives exemplified by the Prophet.
Before long, it suffices that man does not always take cognizance of four main things until they slip away out of proportion. The first being youthfulness until old age sets in. The second being well-being (al-'afiyyah) not until ailment takes control. The third being firmness until infirmity comes in and, the last and the ultimate of them all is life not until death knocks at the door. The implications of this appear in the manners at which the three personalties clustered towards death, within a week. Two of them (Awujale and PMB) were blossom friends and all of them stand tall in upholding the tenet of Islam in their various callings. Their demise and its timing nuanced pessimism on the fact that the likes of people in their fulfilling categories are getting on extinction and a thought coming to mind is 'who steps into their shoes of virtues?'
The personalities rose from scratch to stardom and eventually to the peak of not only career but also life estimation. Lates Alhaji Aminu Dantata, His Imperial Majesty Alhaji Dr. Sikiru Adetona, (The Awujale of Ijebuland), and of course President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR died after fulfilled life and great contributions to the Islamic Institutions they met on ground. As the central theme of the philosophic-poetical line: 'وخير الناس ذو نسب قديم # يقيم لنفسه نسبا شديدا meaning: The best-behaved man is not only in meeting a good legacy; but also in propagating same to a better proportion.' To the best of humanity, we witness that the trio left indelible marks on humanity.
Alhaji Aminu Dantata was a wealthy merchant with unestimatable networth who flew to Madinah, Saudi Arabia for Jum'at service weekly ever since he got private jet. His Zakat was always distributed in Saudi Arabia through indiscriminate Sadaqah in mosque towards Students and Indigents. He requested to be buried in Saudi Arabia and Al-Baqi'i cemetary in Madinah. The His Imperial Majesty Awujale was able to purify Akile-Ijebu of Yoruba land from the pagan machinations particularly after death.The burial of Awujale freed the Obas in Yoruba land of premodial practices of multiple human sacrifice and criminal dismember of Oba's corpse at the instance of cultural and ideological Associations.
President Muhammadu Buhari's demise and burial was one in town in town as the event recorded unprecedented ovation. Over 56 million followers hooked up to view the story within 48 hours including haters, lovers, cychophants and others. This in our estimation is not unconnected to late Buhari's several dispositions which include but not limited to the following. His politics of discipline, sincerity, uprightness, self-determination, selfless services, being unenticed to wealth even though he was open to wealth, zeal for Nigeria first, patriotism nulli secondus, statesman and of course father of modern Nigeria. PMB eas a Nigeria Petroleum Minister without building a filling station to himself. He maintained on arrival as the President that he borrowed money from Bank to build his Daura residence and this was attested to with facts from the Banking sector. This write-up is not unaware of Buhari's criticism in some quarters which informed minor jubilations at the news of his death, the fact remains that a leader is he who sacrifices his own ego-benefits for others to enjoy.
To this end, another philosophical line suffices: 'ايا اعداءه قد مات عنكم # فحيوا لا تموتوا بدوام meaning: O foes of him he had left you behind; You possibly live and live forever.' It may not be far from the truth that this line shows that you can hardly please everyone and pleasing Allah through others gives you satisfaction. More importantly, this write-up is not unmindful of the main reasons for Buhari's ephemeral success. These include but not limited to his Seven Quotes including: I belong to everyone and I belong to no-one; Nigerians should kill corruption before corruption kills Nigeria; I own no house abroad and if you know of any sieze it; the world has changed and Nigerians must change with the world; Nigerian youths are lazy and they want everything for free; Labour of past heroes should not go in vain, and that I would always fight for the poor.
From the foregoing, however, it would be crystal-clear that human sojourn is an adventure and that man is but an agent in human duties. Depending largely on the side of disposition, if he chooses to be agent of tide, so be it and contrarily, agent of doom embarks on perulous journey. What matters is for man to be focus in his journey not minding the distractions. What is important is 'depart the world but not as a pagan'. Decent people would always make meaningful impacts in offices of wealth, royalty and politics. Standing firm for an ideal and its pursuit gives good end. Leading by example for others to follow is important. Being Da'wah conscious is very essential irrespective of the challenges of office.
Allah (SubhanaHu Wa Ta'ala (SWT)) declares in the Glorious Qur'an that: "Know you (all), that the life of this world is but play and a pastime, adornment and mutual boasting and multiplying, (in rivalry) among yourselves, riches and children. Here is a similitude: how rain and the growth which it brings forth, delight (the hearts of) the tillers; soon it withers; you will see it grow yellow; then it becomes dry and crumbles away. But in the Hereafter is a chastisement severe (for the devotees of wrong). And forgiveness from Allah and (His) good pleasure (for the devotees of Allah). And what is the life of this world, but goods and chattels of deception? (Qur'an 57:20)." This also goes in line with oracular and algorithms of life as it relates to realities of death. Allah maintains: "Say: 'the death from which you flee will truly overtake you: then will you be sent back to the Knower of things secret and open: and He will tell you the things you did (Qur'an 62:8)." These are undeniable truths from Allah.
Above all, Allah's categorical statement that 'Your callings are multi-faceted (Suratu l Layl:4) portends that the challenges of wealth, royal stool, mercantile, trading, artisan, scholarship, parent-ship, husband and wife-ship, service-ship and lots more boils down to the genuine intention and the zeal with which it is pursued. Life itself is a puzzle and only those men who crave for admirable do not stray away from the path of decency. Pursue life goal to stardom but forget not the issue of accountability. Lastly to the trio personalities, let us recite Ayatal Kursiyy, Suratil Ikhlas (3 times) and we pray Allah to repose their souls in Al-Jannat firdaus. Ma'as Salaamah.
# AwujaleDantataBuhari
# Epitomeofvirtues
# Paganismdropped
DR. RAZAQ BOLAWAYE UTHMAN, MISSIONER & IMAM ANSAR-UD-DEEN SOCIETY OF NIGERIA IPAJA BRANCH LAGOS STATE.
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