RIGHTS OF THE NATION ON MUSLIMS: NIGERIA FROM INDEPENDENCE TILL DATE

All praises are due to Allah Who decrees and executes all affairs, He disposes of affairs according to His knowledge. He preordained the beginning and the end of all matters. My praise unto Him knows no end. I testify there is no god but Allah alone, He has no associate, He manifests signs of His Oneness firmly. And I testify that Muhammad (pbuh) is the servant of Allah send to all mankind. May Allah bestow peace and blessings on him (pbuh), his families, his companions whom Allah had granted piety to their souls. Thereafter, Dear Servants of Allah, I enjoin myself and you all to fear Allah- the Exalted, this was God’s recommendation for us and those before us. Allah says: { وَلَقَدْ وَصَّيْنَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنِ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ }(النساء: 131). “ And We have instructed those who were given the Scripture before you and yourselves to fear Allah..” (4: 131) What is a country? A country is a homeland or place chosen as abode for living. It is described as the dwelling place of a person irrespective of being his birthplace. Prophet Adam (AS) and the wife were living in paradise, they ate as they wished, and all their needs were adequately provided. Allah said: "إن لك ألا تجوع فيها ولا تعري وأنك لا تظمؤ فيها ولا تضحي" (طه 118-119) Indeed, it is [promised] for you not to be hungry therein or be unclothed. And indeed, you will not be thirsty therein or be hot from the sun." (20: 118- 119) When Allah sent Prophet Adam (AS) and his wife down to the earth, to be His vicegerent on earth, including his progeny, and to worship Allah and develop the earth, the earth was prepared to serve as stable abode for Prophet Adam (AS) and his progeny to come after him. Allah says: "قال اهبطوا بعضكم لبعض عدو ولكم في الأرض مستقر ومتاع إلي حين" (الأعراف 24) “[Allah] said, "Descend, being to one another enemies. And for you on the earth is a place of settlement and enjoyment for a time." (7: 24) Hence, the earth was made a stable homeland for Prophet Adam (AS) and his progeny from inception, without congestion, rivalry or preference of a part over the other. However, as children of Adam multiply, clustering of places began, social gathering increases, a reason why man has been described as social by nature, modern scholars described man as a social animal. Origin and principles of Patriotism People began to settle in towns and villages, they chose settlements for themselves and families which could protect them from cold and heat, interference of men, and be as shelter for their privacy. Growing from these clusters of houses are cities where the inhabitants correlate in various ways; including descent, kinship, neighbor, friendship and professional fellowship, as well as the forming solidarity based on the needs of the society and its defense. Eventually, these villages or towns or cities became a large country. In such event where the towns and cities multiply, people are forced to migrate from their birthplace for one reason or the other, without forgetting the environment they first lived, with families, parents, in-laws, relatives and friends and they become emotionally attached to this place and its people. Abu Tammam described this as follows saying: Transport your heart where ever you want in the air, Love is for no other than the first lover. How much of houses in the land had the young lad habited, but his longing forever will be for the first House! In summary, a country starts from that small village or city, then as human life and relationships grow, larger countries evolved including large regional territories, and several regions come under a single authority which could be religiously, politically, or socially bounded. The importance of the homeland: With regards to man, the home is of high importance. Every living being needs a shelter or housing to protect him, the beasts have their holes, the birds have their nests. We have seen birds, fishes and such other creatures that travel vast distances, transverse through seas and oceans, but return back to their take-off point- the parent abode, without losing track, owing to the sense of guidance given to all creatures by God. Allah says: "قال ربنا الذي أعطي كل شيئ خلقه ثم هدي" (طه 50) He said, "Our Lord is He who gave each thing its form and then guided [it]." (20: 50) Every mentally sound person yearn for his homeland, he wishes for it every good including security, stability and success, an enterprise in which every person participate; the unbelievers, the Muslims, the whites, the blacks. Ibn Rumi says: He endeared people’s homeland to them As goals carried out by youths there When they remember their homeland, they remember their youthful days, and they long for it base on that. After migration to madinah Abu Huraira fell sick and composed some poetry revealing his desire for his homeland- Makkah. If only I knew, do I sleep at night At a valley, and around me are lemon grasses and great ones Do I wish for a day the waters of Majnah Do Shamah and Tufail appear to me? (These are all names of rivers, valley and mountains of Makkah to which he passionately long for) The messenger of Allah (pbuh) addressed Makkah while he was migrating from the land to Madinah thus: “By Allah, you are the most beloved land of Allah before Allah, and the most beloved land of Allah to me. Had it not been that my people exiled me I would not have left” (Al-Baaniy) The prophets were sent to their people, they wished the best for their people and the land, Ibrahim prayed for Makkah and its people, and Muhammad (pbuh), the messenger of Allah prayed for Madinah and its people. Let us follow the prophets and the righteous ones, let’s wish the best for our country Nigeria, pray for her security and prosperity, especially now that we mark the 53rd anniversary of our independence, and the nation experiences difficult and regrettable situations, may Allah grant us peace and good health. Nigeria from independence till date: progress or regress (facts and figures) Nigeria is the largest African country as a whole, in terms of population density, it forms a quarter of the African continent, and fifth of the black nations in the world. It occupies more than 1, 923 square kilometers of fertile land rich in various minerals, such as gold, gemstones, oil, Nigeria is the sixth oil exporting countries in the world, the first in the African continent, and the seventh in terms of natural gas deposit, along with other agricultural products including animals, poultry, plants of high commercial value. In summary, Nigeria has about 34 natural resources and 64 other materials suitable for export. On gaining independence from the British colonialist for over half a century, before South Africa and Malaysia for example, unfortunately, we cannot match up to them in scientific progress and economic growth Nigeria before Independence Varying religions existed in Nigeria before independence both in the Northern and Southern part of the country. Muslims made up the majority in the North and in the South, even though, the south was not free of idolatry, a situation which is still common in the area today. Islam preceded the Christian missionary colonization of the country by approximately six centuries (600 years). The Eastern part of the country mostly consists of the idolaters before Christianity gained entry through the foreign colonialists. Nigerians before independence were active in various economic fields- cultivation, craft making etc, they had enough food for their daily livelihoods- (food security). The food security then, reached the cattle, they fed their cattle, dogs etc with the staple foods for human beings like beans, cassava etc; a sharp contrast to the realities of today where humans have not had their fills takeless of giving the animals. The southwest had cocoa, the north thrived in cotton and groundnuts, and the southeast was affluent in rubber, the country had surplus fund and income, they built powerful historic edifices, they built the country, they implemented developmental projects with incomes from agriculture before the discovery of oil in 1956. They built first class universities such as University of Ibadan, University of Ife, University of Lagos, Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Bayero University in Kano, University of Nigeria, Nsuka, all with proceeds from agricultural produce- cocoa, cotton and rubber. Even the historic building in Dugbe, Ibadan (COACOA HOUSE), NTA Station, the kainji dam built in 1970 before the creation of NNPC in 1971 and a host of other developmental projects ranging from roads, water pipelines and other facilities such as hospitals (UCH & LUTH), schools, factories driven by agricultural resources. Early Nigerians’ humanitarian values Our predecessors, in all honesty, had good human values of diligent hardwork without laziness, trust without betrayal, chastity and decency and not indulging in immorality and prostitution, values of generosity and not being stingy. They viewed idleness and complacence as disgraceful and a blemish, they also had poetry to support this values: Meaning: The Idle person is humiliated deprived of all value, he hisses at the daybreaks when the cock crows, he who do not work goes poor, and he who works defeats poverty. In another poem it reads: Meaning: What do I do with stealing in my life? What do I do with stealing in my life? I submit to slavery over stealing… Instead of stealing I better die. Therefore, honesty and trustworthiness flow among them, mercy and compassionateness radiate. A farmer could after harvesting his crop- place it by the foot path for sale, he places the amount he sells it on it- because they could not write then- without a guard or a watchman. A buyer will approach the goods, place the right amount of the goods, without taking more than he paid for or reducing the price, or stealing from any money he met there. And when the farmer returns in the evening, he finds his money complete. Our predecessors in this country praised chastity and cared about their reputations, hence adultery was little, they do punish the offenders with quick death, they honoured chaste women and praised them, while adulterous one brings shame on her family, Then came colonization… Then colonization came with its civilization of liberalism, it came with its culture of nudity and shamelessness, it came with its alcohol and the unveiling of the face, the cinema, music, and it came with great sins and few benefits for the people. Several escapades took place before they eventually granted our independence in 1960. But on their departure, they left behind our fellow Nigerians who speak our language, they are Nigerians in colour and language but westerners in ideology and culture, their loyalty to the colonial enemy is continuous, they are a threat to the country as truly captured in this words of Allah: "فخلف من بعدهم خلف أقاموا الصلاة واتبعوا الشهوات فسوف يلقون غيا" (مريم 59) “But there came after them successors who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil” (19: 59) They were the political leaders with personal ambitions, thus you find some of them who want to die on the throne, running for the second and third term in office, if he had the power, he would have remained in power. Nigeria had witnessed eight military coups from independence to date, it also witnessed the civil war in eastern Nigeria (the Biafra war) alongside the crisis in the nooks and crannies of the country where thousands of people were killed. We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound. Brothers in faith we should care much about the affairs of our homeland, Nigeria, we should be concerned about who manages her affairs and directs finances, Allah bless us with all we need of means of advancement and progress, however the deficiency is good leaders, a project which is not automatic rather with diligent effort at actualization. THE SECOND SERMON Praise be to Allah alone. May peace and blessings be upon he that no other prophet succeeds, and his families and companions. Be aware that he who holds firm to this religion of Islam, work by the Holy Book of Allah, and follow the Prophet (PBUH), actual gain a great manifest reward, and deserve to live in the paradise in the company of the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous, Allah says: { وَمَن يُطِعِ اللّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاء وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَئِكَ رَفِيقاً , ذَلِكَ الْفَضْلُ مِنَ اللّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللّهِ عَلِيماً } (سورة النساء 69- 70) “And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger - those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions. That is the bounty from Allah, and sufficient is Allah as Knower.” (4: 69- 70) I hereby enjoin you dear Muslims to hold fast to your religion- Islam, in this era where the similitude of he who holds tenaciously to his religion is like that of he who grabs an ember of fire. Oh Allah descend peace; flowing with continuous tranquility and security upon Nigeria and all other Muslim nations. O Allah accept the worship of the pilgrims of hajj and Umrah, and grant us all Your pleasure, And the last of our call will be, "Praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds!"

ISLAM AND SOCIAL SECURITY 2

Praise be to Allah Who decrees and executes all affairs, He disposes of affairs according to His knowledge. He preordained the beginning and the end of all matters. My praise unto Him knows no end. I testify there is no god but Allah alone, He has no associate, He manifests signs of His Oneness firmly. And I testify that Muhammad (pbuh) is the servant of Allah send to all mankind. May Allah bestow peace and blessings on him (pbuh), his families, his companions whom Allah had granted piety to their souls. Thereafter, Dear Muslims be conscious of Allah in secret and public. God’s consciousness- piety stands as the required provision in difficult situations, and abundant supply worthwhile on the day of Judgement. Allah says: {يوم لا تَجزي نفسٌ عن نفس شيئًا ولا يقبَل منها عدل، ولا تنفعها شفاعة ولا هم ينصَرون} (البقرة 48). “ And fear a Day when no soul will suffice for another soul at all, nor will intercession be accepted from it, nor will compensation be taken from it, nor will they be aided.” (2: 48) What do we mean by Security? As emphasized last week, security refers to peace and absence of fear as stated in the following verse: {وإن أحد من الْمشركين استجارك فأجره حتى يسمع كلام الله ثم أبلغه مأمنه ذلك بأنَّهم قوم لا يعلمون}(التوبة 6) “And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allah. Then deliver him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.” (9:6) Technically, security is said to be present when there is no breach of the law; whether such breach is an offence punishable by law or a serious activity which calls for preventive and security measures to prevent its occurrence. Security as well is safety, tranquility and lack of fear for human life or other means that support human existence, including the security of the individual and community. Modern means of security becoming means of terror: The world today are deprived of security, despite the stunning means of security dictated by scientific advancement, despite the daily impressive inventions and innovations, and despite the sophisticated level of planning and strategy developed to fight crime using scientific and psychological principles. Despite all these, the whole world is still deprived of security and safety. Millions live in fear, panic and anxiety, and even awaiting death in every moment of their lives due to what they witness with their own eyes of the extermination of the human race and cheapness of human blood! It has turned these same means of security which includes chemical and nuclear head, planes, rockets, bombs, guns, etc.. These are security methods invented by men of this world to protect themselves and ensure stability. However, these security measures have turned to source of terror, fear and disorder. Intellectuals, writers and politicians everywhere cried out for disarmament but despite that, millions of people today live in a state of fear and confusion. Thus in the eyes of these vulnerable and helpless people the world is full of darkness despite the abundant lights around them, they also view the world as a narrowed and straitened world despite its expanse, having been expelled from their homes and properties unjustly! Thus is the world deprived of peace and security. Its importance: Security restores life, it guaranties hopes, facilitates livelihood and trades, cattle flourish, nation multiplies and progresses, knowledge and education flourish, religion and justice progress, the righteous people dominate the bad ones, funds go into beneficial projects to individuals and society. Also the blood is preserved, properties secured, people can sleep peacefully, every one flourish animals inclusive. In a peaceful and security assured society, worship is facilitated, for security is a gift from God, Allah says: {فليعبدوا رب هذا البيت الذي أطعمهم من جوع وآمنهم من خوف}( قريش 4) Who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them] from fear. (106: 4) The Prophet (pbuh) said: (Whoever wakes up safe in his abode, sound and healthy, assured of the day’s provision, that is as if he has earned the world and all its content.). Security is a great provision from Allah without which existence will be unpleasant, a grant also for the inmates of paradise. Allah says: {ادْخُلُوهَا بِسَلامٍ آمِنِينَ} (الحجر:46) {"Enter it in peace, safe [and secure]." } (15: 46) The concern of Islam in security. Islam is greatly concerned with security, the Holy Qur’an orders for assuring security in all its aspects; religion, life, property, dignity, genealogy, the essential five necessities of life which Islam and all religions have come to protect. Allah says of Prophet Ibrahim (AS): {وإذْ قال إبراهيم ربِّي اجعل هذا بلداً آمناً وارزق أهله من الثمرات من آمن منهم بالله واليوم الآخر قال ومن كفر فأمتعه قليلاً ثُم أضطره إلى عذاب النار وبئس الْمصير}(البقرة 126), “And [mention] when Abraham said, "My Lord, make this a secure city and provide its people with fruits - whoever of them believes in Allah and the Last Day." [Allah] said. "And whoever disbelieves - I will grant him enjoyment for a little; then I will force him to the punishment of the Fire, and wretched is the destination." (2: 126) Allah accepted this prayer, security and tranquility were spread in Makkah, such that even when a man meets the killer of his father on the road he will not harm while same was non-existing in other parts of the Arabian Peninsula except fear and panic, as stated in the Qur’an thus: {أولم يروا أنا جعلنا لهم حرماً آمناً ويتخطف الناس من حولِهم أفبالباطل يؤمنون وبنعمة الله يكفرون}(العنكبوت 67) “Have they not seen that We made [Makkah] a safe sanctuary, while people are being taken away all around them? Then in falsehood do they believe, and in the favor of Allah they disbelieve?” (29: 67) Islam forbids terrifying people in the society. The prophet (pbuh) said: “It is not right for a Muslim to frighten a Muslim” he also said: “None of you must take the property of his brother; either as a joke or with seriousness” Islam also preserve this right even for non-Muslims: Zaid bn Sa’nah (a jewish priest) came to the Prophet (pbuh) to ask for his debt, though the agreed term for payment has not reached, he approached the Prophet (pbuh) rough handled him, and spoke rudely to him. Umar (RA) frightened him and threatened to kill him. But the Prophet only smiled and said to Umar: “O Umar! We (I and him) do not deserve such, we only need that you advice me to pay his debt with kindness and to advice him to request his debt with kindness, eventhough the term is not ripe yet. He then instructed Umar to pay him and he added 20 Sa’a measure of dates as atonement for the threat Umar issued, and that was the reason for his acceptance of Islam.” Allah says: {ولا تستوي الحسنة ولا السيئة ادفع بالتي هي أحسن فإذا الذي بينك وبينه عداوة كأنه ولي حميم}(فصلت34) “And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend. “ (41:34) {لا ينهاكم الله عن الذين لَم يقاتلوكم في الدين ولَم يُخرجوكم من دياركم أن تبروهم وتقسطوا إليهم إن الله يُحب الْمقسطين} (الممتحنة 8) Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. (60:8) Aisha was asked of the character of the prophet (pbuh) and she said his character is the Qur’an, you could read if you wish: Elements of Security: - Reformation of ‘Aqeedah (Islamic faith or ideology) - Political Stability and implementing God’s law - Economic Stability - Sound and Efficient Security System - A Media Outfit that abide by God’s consciuosness May Allah bless us all with the Qur’an and profit us all with the messages therein, having said this, I seek forgive from Allah for me and you and all Muslims, do seek His forgiveness He is Oft-forgiving. THE SECOND SERMON Praise be to Allah alone. May peace and blessings be upon he that no other prophet succeeds, and his families and companions. Thereafter, O Servants of Allah, fear Allah and keep away from atrocious words and misleading temptations; seek Allah’s help with your actions and words in times of trials, you shall surely reach the peak of tranquility. Be aware that whoever hold firmly to this straight religion, and work by the Holy Book of Allah, and follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) has surely profit and become successful to abide in the paradise in the company of the prophets, the truthful, the matyrs and the righteous ones. Allah says: { وَمَن يُطِعِ اللّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاء وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَئِكَ رَفِيقاً , ذَلِكَ الْفَضْلُ مِنَ اللّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللّهِ عَلِيماً } (سورة النساء 69- 70) Advice for the intending Pilgrims: - Acquiring knowledge of Islamic Judgement on Hajj - Choosing good companions for the journey - Having good friends and companions. Oh Allah descend peace; flowing with continuous tranquility and security upon Nigeria and all other Muslim nations. O Allah accept the worship of the pilgrims of hajj and Umrah, and grant us all Your pleasure, And the last of our call will be, "Praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds!"

MUSLIM TEACHERS AND THE CHALLENGES OF KNOWLEDGE

Since the earliest days of man, Education has been the major factor that has played the most significant roles in the development of human civilization. It is a universal maxim that it is the light of the world. The Arabs say: al-'ilmu nuurun wal jahl zulmah.i.e knowledge is light while ignorance is darkness. It was the first divine yardstick of superiority from the time of the first man. It has been the pivot upon which the wheels of human progress rotate. To quote Mark Twain's irreverent jibe in his 'Pudd'nhead Wilson's New calendar of 1897: " In the first place, God created idiots. This was for practice, then He created schools". Freely translated, Education is any process of imparting and acquiring of knowledge, be it, in a formal or an informal manner. In Islam, this process is a lifelong project. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) is reported to have said that the search for, and acquisition of knowledge is from cradle to grave. A project that spans the entire period of man's existence is no doubt a serious one. To him, it is more important than prayers since that too, depends on Education to be acceptable to Allah the Almighty Creator. In fact, no other religion emphasizes the importance of education as Islam does. It is pertinent to assert that the Prophet gave preference to learners over supplicants. Ibn 'Abbas reports: "One day, the Prophet entered a mosque and saw two circles of Muslims-one circle consisted of people reciting litanies of supplications and remembrance of Allah, while the second circle consisted of people who were teaching and learning. The Prophet stood between the two circles and said: the two circles are involved in good deeds; as for these, they are praying to Allah for His favours, if He likes, He will give them what they want and if He likes, He won't; but as for these{ pointing at the second group}, they are teaching the uneducated ones. These are better in the sight of Allah. Surely, I have been raised as a teacher. He then sat in the company of those who were teaching and learning". In the light of the above, Education is a serious affair which requires the best of our attention. It must be guided by a deep sense of obligation and responsibility. From the aforesaid, it is clear that education can be seen as a Divine Trust. In Islam, the dimensions of this trust and its demands on the human society are diverse, and a true appreciation of them requires multi-sectoral and multi- faceted approaches. Universally, it is understood as trust and a natural right. It was in an obvious realization of this that nations of the world issued the UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS on the 10th day of December, 1948. Article 26 of the declaration states: {1}Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.{2}Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial, or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace" The founding fathers of the American Nation also realized and recognized this trust very early and it is what assisted them in attaining the position of pre-eminence they occupy among the comity of nations. Writing as far back as 1870, James Russell Lowell declared: "It was in making education not only common but in some sense compulsory On all, that the destiny of the free republics of America was practically settled". Earlier in 1788, Benjamin Rush had written: " There is but one method of preventing crimes, and of rendering a republican form of government durable, and that is by disseminating the seeds of virtue and knowledge through every part of the state by means of proper places and modes of education" Education and its Challenges The nature of man is a very complex one. His needs are as diversified as the nature of his environment. The only type of Education that can manage man's multifarious needs and urges is such a one that is able to bring about an all-round development of the human potentials. It should focus on intellectual, moral and spiritual developments of man. Since man consists of body and soul, any development of one without the other must naturally lead to negative consequences. In Islam, the acquisition of knowledge is a prerequisite for Worship. Allah says in a Hadith Qudsi: Fa'rifuunii qabla an ta'buduuni, wa man lam ya'rifnii fa kayfa ya'budnii . Know me before you worship me; how will he who does not know me know how to worship me? The search for knowledge is so important for all Muslims that the Holy Prophet instructed that they could travel as far as China in its quest. It is also seen as an struggle in the way of Allah. In a tradition, the Prophet also said: Man kharaja fii tolabil 'ilmi fa huwa fii sabiilillahi hatta yarji'a Whoever goes forth in search of knowledge is on the path of Allah until he returns. The primacy given to the search for knowledge by Islam was what drove early Muslims into climbing the stairs of intellectual pre-eminence in the medieval period. They were the ones who revived the ancient Greek heritage and developed it long before the Europeans woke up from the slumbers of the Dark Ages. They excelled in all fields of learning and left their footprints on the sand of time. It is however unfortunate to observe that the spirit that motivated the early Muslims into academic pursuits is absent in us today, particularly among Nigerian Muslims. It would indeed be strange to early Muslims to know that a generation of Muslims who attach little or no importance would come after them despite the legacy they bequeathed to later generations. It is also disheartening to observe that in Nigeria in general, Education only enjoys the patronage of the tongue and paper. Governmental proclamations and documented policies that were never meant to be implemented are celebrated through the print and electronic media. This unwholesome attitude has given birth to the cult of mediocrity in the entire Nigerian Educational system. We therefore do not see in the educational sector the kind of commitment that can produce the "total" being. Those who manage the sector are either superficial in their approaches or give primacy to material profits. It must also be remembered that Education is a divine Trust for which man is accountable to Allah. It is not an accident that the first revelation in Islam is a commandment to read. The emphasis placed by Islam on learning shows that nothing can take the place of a sound education. The various prophetic declarations are instructive in this regard. It involves a plethora of duties and responsibilities that leaves no right thinking Muslim out. Since Islam places the task of developing and securing the society on the shoulders of every mature Muslim, the task of building the individuals who will develop the society is also a collective responsibility. The responsibility of an educator who understands that education is a divine trust is not an easy one. It becomes more complex when the educator is a Muslim. He is therefore expected to understand the nature of the task and be ready to face it. Because, this is a conference for Muslims, we have the greater role of ensuring that whatever we do in our schools keeps the Islamic vision of transforming the world in view. Our responsibility therefore becomes hydra-headed with several tasks attached to it. This is because though transformation we are talking about may be gradual, it has to be total. To achieve this therefore, the government, schools, teachers, parents, religious clerics and the media must understand the enormity of the task if any positive result must be achieved. Every individual in the society must see himself or herself as accountable to Allah for the success or otherwise of the educational systems, formal and informal. We must all bear the responsibility for positive religious education, result- oriented moral education, an all round physical and health education that does not shy away from balanced sexuality education as well as intellectual and cognitive education that nourishes the mind, illuminates the soul and refines the self.. We must also ensure good mental health through rational psychological education which guarantees excellent self esteem and lays the foundation for combating and controlling mental challenges like shyness, fear, anger, envy and inferiority complex. We are also expected to make plans for social and communal peace through a functional social education which prepares the individual for societal living by developing in him positive social conscience. Thus educated, the individual will understand his rights and the rights of others and what his duties are to them. He will also understand that inter-dependency is the bedrock of the modern society. To sum it all, our main responsibility is to join in hands in building an educational system which combines balanced qualitative secular and religious education with practical and pragmatic moral indoctrination to achieve a total transformation of the individual with a view to transforming the world.  Conclusion In the matters of education, the Stakeholders are the parents, the teachers, the students, the Proprietors of schools and the Government. The first centre of education known to a child is the home. Parents should understand their roles as Educators and character moulders. They should teach the right ideals to the child by their own conducts. The virtues of hardwork and diligence must be learnt from home. Parents who give their children the impression that money can achieve for them anything in life are destroying them. No School, however well-equipped and well-planned, can replace the home. Another duty of parents is to give priority to issues affecting the education of their children. Parents who do not buy books and other item at the time the children need them are unwillingly destroying the process of education. They should also realize that the kind of education their children get is most often determined by their own attitude as parents. A parent that does not pay school fees regularly is not only putting the education of his child in jeopardy, he is also jeopardizing the education of the other children whose parents are prompt in paying. This is because whatever incentives and remunerations the school may want to provide for teachers, will be affected by the attitude of these people who default in the payment of school fees. Teachers constitute one of the pillars of the school system. Though, they are engaged in formal education, their personalities impact directly on their students in all situations. It is therefore pertinent to note that they are engaged in both formal and informal education. Every teacher should therefore be conscious of everything he does in the presence of students. He should realize that teaching is a blessed profession, it is in fact a divine vocation. The first teacher was Allah, and He has appointed Prophets as Teachers of mankind .Every teacher should thus understand the sacredness of his/her job and put in his/her best. Even when one feels that he is under-remunerated, he should realize that he enjoys an opportunity which is denied of non-teachers. A good teacher will no doubt realize that while training the children of other people, he understands his own children better. He should therefore be committed to the job as it serves as are fresher course for him in parenting. Proprietors of schools, together with the teachers must ensure that morality is not sacrificed for frivolous enterprises. In entrenching discipline, good conduct must be rewarded and bad habits, punished. Heads of schools should enforce discipline among Teachers and Students alike. In fact, religious morality should reflect in every subject. L.P.Jacks, a seasoned school administrator writes: "Not long ago, I met one of our great high School masters; a  veteran in that high service. Where in your time-table do you teach religion?.I asked him. We teach it in Arithmetic by accuracy. We teach it in history by humanity. We teach it in Geography by breadth of mind. We teach it in the playground by kindness to animals, by courtesy to servants, by good manners to one another and by truthfulness in all things. We teach it by showing the children that we, their elders are  their friends not their enemies." From the above, religious instruction does not end with I.R.S. True Islamic Education requires an all embracing system where universal moral principles guide all actions. Government too has a major stake in education that goes beyond remuneration of teachers or providing facilities for schools. Education thrives only at the time of peace. A society bedeviled by social injustice cannot be peaceful. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the government to make education attractive by establishing social justice. Where there is social justice, attraction to crime is reduced. Parents, teachers and other citizen are then in the right frame of mind to discharge their trust. Finally, if all the other stakeholders are committed, and children, for whom all is to be done, are not given the right orientation, no one can discharge the trust. Children should therefore be given such an orientation that would make education attractive to them. Their own attitudes will no doubt go a long way in determining how well the other stakeholders can discharge the trust of education. Permit me to conclude this speech with an anonymous admonition titled the "Game of Life" given by a Christian priest to one of his pupils: "I am giving you the ball, Bob, and naming u quarterback for your team in the game of life. I am your coach, so I'll give it to you straight." "There is only one schedule to play. It lasts all your life but consists of only one game. It is a long game with no time out and no substitutes. You play the whole game all your life." "You'll have a great backfield. You are calling the signals, but the other three fellows in the backfield with you have great reputations. They are named faith, hope, and charity." "You'll work behind a truly powerful line. End to end, it consists of honesty, loyalty, devotion to duty, self-respect, study, cleanliness, and good behavior." "The goal posts are the pearly gates of heaven." "God is the referee and sole official. He makes all the rules, and there is no appeal from them." "There are ten rules, you know them as the Ten Commandments, and you play them strictly in accordance with your own religion." "There is another important ground rule. It is do unto others as you would have them do unto you." "In this game, if you lose the ball you lose also the game." "Here is the ball. It is your immortal soul. Hold on to it." "Now, son, get in there and pitch, let's see what you can do with it"                                  May Allah grant us the wisdom and the moral courage to truly accept and embrace education as a trust which it really is.

ISLAM AND SOCIAL SECURITY

Praise be to Allah Who decrees and executes all affairs, He disposes of affairs according to His knowledge. He preordained the beginning and the end of all matters. My praise unto Him knows no end. I testify there is no god but Allah alone, He has no associate, He manifests signs of His Oneness firmly. And I testify that Muhammad (pbuh) is the servant of Allah send to all mankind. May Allah bestow peace and blessings on him (pbuh), his families, his companions whom Allah had granted piety to their souls. Thereafter, Dear Muslims be conscious of Allah in secret and public. God’s consciousness- piety stands as the required provision in difficult situations, and abundant supply worthwhile on the day of Judgement. Allah says: {يوم لا تَجزي نفسٌ عن نفس شيئًا ولا يقبَل منها عدل، ولا تنفعها شفاعة ولا هم ينصَرون} (البقرة 48). “ And fear a Day when no soul will suffice for another soul at all, nor will intercession be accepted from it, nor will compensation be taken from it, nor will they be aided.” (2: 48) What do we mean by Security? As emphasized last week, security refers to peace and absence of fear as stated in the following verse: {وإن أحد من الْمشركين استجارك فأجره حتى يسمع كلام الله ثم أبلغه مأمنه ذلك بأنَّهم قوم لا يعلمون}(التوبة 6) “And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allah. Then deliver him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.” (9:6) Technically, security is said to be present when there is no breach of the law; whether such breach is an offence punishable by law or a serious activity which calls for preventive and security measures to prevent its occurrence. Security as well is safety, tranquility and lack of fear for human life or other means that support human existence, including the security of the individual and community. Modern means of security becoming means of terror: The world today are deprived of security, despite the stunning means of security dictated by scientific advancement, despite the daily impressive inventions and innovations, and despite the sophisticated level of planning and strategy developed to fight crime using scientific and psychological principles. Despite all these, the whole world is still deprived of security and safety. Millions live in fear, panic and anxiety, and even awaiting death in every moment of their lives due to what they witness with their own eyes of the extermination of the human race and cheapness of human blood! It has turned these same means of security which includes chemical and nuclear head, planes, rockets, bombs, guns, etc.. These are security methods invented by men of this world to protect themselves and ensure stability. However, these security measures have turned to source of terror, fear and disorder. Intellectuals, writers and politicians everywhere cried out for disarmament but despite that, millions of people today live in a state of fear and confusion. Thus in the eyes of these vulnerable and helpless people the world is full of darkness despite the abundant lights around them, they also view the world as a narrowed and straitened world despite its expanse, having been expelled from their homes and properties unjustly! Thus is the world deprived of peace and security. Its importance: Security restores life, it guaranties hopes, facilitates livelihood and trades, cattle flourish, nation multiplies and progresses, knowledge and education flourish, religion and justice progress, the righteous people dominate the bad ones, funds go into beneficial projects to individuals and society. Also the blood is preserved, properties secured, people can sleep peacefully, every one flourish animals inclusive. In a peaceful and security assured society, worship is facilitated, for security is a gift from God, Allah says: {فليعبدوا رب هذا البيت الذي أطعمهم من جوع وآمنهم من خوف}( قريش 4) Who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them] from fear. (106: 4) The Prophet (pbuh) said: (Whoever wakes up safe in his abode, sound and healthy, assured of the day’s provision, that is as if he has earned the world and all its content.). Security is a great provision from Allah without which existence will be unpleasant, a grant also for the inmates of paradise. Allah says: {ادْخُلُوهَا بِسَلامٍ آمِنِينَ} (الحجر:46) {"Enter it in peace, safe [and secure]." } (15: 46) The concern of Islam in security. Islam is greatly concerned with security, the Holy Qur’an orders for assuring security in all its aspects; religion, life, property, dignity, genealogy, the essential five necessities of life which Islam and all religions have come to protect. Allah says of Prophet Ibrahim (AS): {وإذْ قال إبراهيم ربِّي اجعل هذا بلداً آمناً وارزق أهله من الثمرات من آمن منهم بالله واليوم الآخر قال ومن كفر فأمتعه قليلاً ثُم أضطره إلى عذاب النار وبئس الْمصير}(البقرة 126), “And [mention] when Abraham said, "My Lord, make this a secure city and provide its people with fruits - whoever of them believes in Allah and the Last Day." [Allah] said. "And whoever disbelieves - I will grant him enjoyment for a little; then I will force him to the punishment of the Fire, and wretched is the destination." (2: 126) Allah accepted this prayer, security and tranquility were spread in Makkah, such that even when a man meets the killer of his father on the road he will not harm while same was non-existing in other parts of the Arabian Peninsula except fear and panic, as stated in the Qur’an thus: {أولم يروا أنا جعلنا لهم حرماً آمناً ويتخطف الناس من حولِهم أفبالباطل يؤمنون وبنعمة الله يكفرون}(العنكبوت 67) “Have they not seen that We made [Makkah] a safe sanctuary, while people are being taken away all around them? Then in falsehood do they believe, and in the favor of Allah they disbelieve?” (29: 67) Islam forbids terrifying people in the society. The prophet (pbuh) said: “It is not right for a Muslim to frighten a Muslim” he also said: “None of you must take the property of his brother; either as a joke or with seriousness” Islam also preserve this right even for non-Muslims: Zaid bn Sa’nah (a jewish priest) came to the Prophet (pbuh) to ask for his debt, though the agreed term for payment has not reached, he approached the Prophet (pbuh) rough handled him, and spoke rudely to him. Umar (RA) frightened him and threatened to kill him. But the Prophet only smiled and said to Umar: “O Umar! We (I and him) do not deserve such, we only need that you advice me to pay his debt with kindness and to advice him to request his debt with kindness, eventhough the term is not ripe yet. He then instructed Umar to pay him and he added 20 Sa’a measure of dates as atonement for the threat Umar issued, and that was the reason for his acceptance of Islam.” Allah says: {ولا تستوي الحسنة ولا السيئة ادفع بالتي هي أحسن فإذا الذي بينك وبينه عداوة كأنه ولي حميم}(فصلت34) “And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend. “ (41:34) {لا ينهاكم الله عن الذين لَم يقاتلوكم في الدين ولَم يُخرجوكم من دياركم أن تبروهم وتقسطوا إليهم إن الله يُحب الْمقسطين} (الممتحنة 8) Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. (60:8) Aisha was asked of the character of the prophet (pbuh) and she said his character is the Qur’an, you could read if you wish: Elements of Security: - Reformation of ‘Aqeedah (Islamic faith or ideology) - Political Stability and implementing God’s law - Economic Stability - Sound and Efficient Security System - A Media Outfit that abide by God’s consciuosness May Allah bless us all with the Qur’an and profit us all with the messages therein, having said this, I seek forgive from Allah for me and you and all Muslims, do seek His forgiveness He is Oft-forgiving. THE SECOND SERMON Praise be to Allah alone. May peace and blessings be upon he that no other prophet succeeds, and his families and companions. Thereafter, O Servants of Allah, fear Allah and keep away from atrocious words and misleading temptations; seek Allah’s help with your actions and words in times of trials, you shall surely reach the peak of tranquility. Be aware that whoever hold firmly to this straight religion, and work by the Holy Book of Allah, and follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) has surely profit and become successful to abide in the paradise in the company of the prophets, the truthful, the matyrs and the righteous ones. Allah says: { وَمَن يُطِعِ اللّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاء وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَئِكَ رَفِيقاً , ذَلِكَ الْفَضْلُ مِنَ اللّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللّهِ عَلِيماً } (سورة النساء 69- 70) Advice for the intending Pilgrims: - Acquiring knowledge of Islamic Judgement on Hajj - Choosing good companions for the journey - Relating well with friends and companions. Oh Allah descend peace; flowing with continuous tranquility and security upon Nigeria and all other Muslim nations. O Allah accept the worship of the pilgrims of hajj and Umrah, and grant us all Your pleasure, And the last of our call will be, "Praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds!"

FAITH: A MEANS FOR SECURITY AND STABILITY.

Praise be to Allah Who decree and execute all affairs, He disposes of affairs according to His knowledge. He preordained the beginning and the end of all matters. My praise unto Him knows no end. I testify there is no god but Allah alone, He has no associate, He manifest signs of His Oneness firmly, And I testify that Muhammad is the servant of Allah send to all mankind. May Allah bestow peace and blessings on him (pbuh), his families, his companions whom Allah granted piety to their souls. Thereafter, O servants of Allah, I urge you and I to fear Allah. It is Gods message to us and those before us, Allah says: { وَلَقَدْ وَصَّيْنَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنِ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ }(النساء: 131). “And We have instructed those who were given the Scripture before you and yourselves to fear Allah.” (4: 131) Connection between Faith and Security: The connection between faith and social security and those between faith and character is clearly stated in the holy qur’an and the sunnah of the holy Prophet (PBUH). What goal sought after by any nation in the contemporary world or any other that could be greater than security. The modern world is prosperous in material development and civilizational well-being. Muslim Nations live in crisis and wars The entire Muslim world of today including; east and west, Arabs and Non-Arabs, are all living in state of panic, fear, anxiety, and alienation, engulfing it from all directions. It is witnessing the peak of disorder, disintegration, senseless killing, genocide and colossal destruction! But there is no power or might except with Allah! The Muslim nation face uninterrupted assaults, strikes, battery, from Burma to Kashmir to Afghanistan to Iraq to Somalia and now it has reached Libya, Syria, Tunisia, and lately in Egypt. These are manifestation of external machinations, virtually financed by the Jews, with roadmap provided by the Americans, trickily aided by the European Union and perfected using the international diplomacy interface and unfortunately abetted by some Muslims. This scenario is like the situation of Nations before the mission of the Prophet sent by God Almighty as mercy for the worlds. The message of compassion given to him (pbuh) is still living among us today as fresh as ever and we remain resolute as conveyer of this message to the whole world beginning from ourselves. Evidence of security and faith in the Qur’an: The relationship between security and faith in all its aspects is in the book of Allah- the exalted, and clearly evident in the conditions of the earlier Nations to serve as lesson for us. Allah says: {وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكَاتٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ وَلَكِنْ كَذَّبُوا فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ} (الأعراف96) “And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning." (7:96) {وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ أَقَامُوا التَّوْرَاةَ والإنْجِيل وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ لأكَلُوا مِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِنْ تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِمْ }(المائدة66) And if only they upheld [the law of] the Torah, the Gospel, and what has been revealed to them from their Lord, they would have consumed [provision] from above them and from beneath their feet. (5: 66) {وَأَلَّوِ اسْتَقَامُوا عَلَى الطَّرِيقَةِ لَأَسْقَيْنَاهُمْ مَاءً غَدَقاً} (الجن16) And [Allah revealed] that if they had remained straight on the way, We would have given them abundant provision.” (72: 16) Lots of verses abound which indicate that there will be no security nor prosperity, happiness nor peace except with faith in Allah- the exalted, consequently, anyone looking for security in his mind, society, or nation will not find it except and until he possesses faith in God. Equally, it is imperative for anyone who hopes to live a pleasurable life to have faith in God, submit to Him in all his dealings and desires and obey the guidance of prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Allah says of those who neglected and fail to implement faith thus: {وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلاً قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ آمِنَةً مُطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَداً مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ} (النحل112) And Allah presents an example: a city which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allah. So Allah made it taste the envelopment of hunger and fear for what they had been doing. (16: 112) {فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُبْلِسُونَ * فَقُطِعَ دَابِرُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ} (الأنعام:44-45). So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, and they were [then] in despair. So the people that committed wrong were eliminated. And praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds. (6: 44- 45) Linguistic Relationship in security, faith and trust in the Arabic language: The connection between security and faith is perceivable in the lexical composition of the Arabic words. Faith is formed with the same root letters as security which are: Alif, Meem and Nuun, (A-mi-na). The root words of Eemaan- Faith was equally derived from the same lexicons- Alif, Meem and Nuun (A-mi-na), likewise is the word Amaanah- trust. It is noteworthy that these three words- Al-Amnu, Al-Eemaan and Al-Amaanah (security, faith and trust) are closely related lexically and in concept. The prophet (pbuh) affirm this idea when he said: Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the people are safe, and the believer is the one with whom the people’s lives and wealth are trusted.” ( Sunan An-Nasa’i 4998. Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani) Allah says concerning Trust: : {إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْأَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَنْ يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الْأِنْسَانُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُوماً جَهُولاً} (الأحزاب 72) Indeed, we offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it; but man [undertook to] bear it. Indeed, he was unjustand ignorant. (33: 72) What then is the trust? It is the same burden or task of the faith in Allah and devotion to Him as described in another verse of the Holy Qur’an thus: {وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالأِنْسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ} (الذاريات:56) And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. (51: 56) Thus, the trust means faith, as well as all its content, including discharge of duty in a perfect manner, especially the rights of the leaders and the masses. Allah- the exalted says: {إِنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُو الأَمَانَاتِ إِلَي أَهْلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ ...}.(النساء 58) “Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allah instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing.” (4: 58) Faith: the greatest trust man is saddle with: The qualities of faith and its division agree and converge around this point and principle of security. The peak of security is achieved by realizing the oneness of Allah- the Almighty. Allah says: {وَكَيفَ أَخَافُ مَا أَشْرَكْتُم وَلاَا تَخَافُونَ أَنَّكُم أًشْرَكْتُم بِاللهِ مَا لم يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا فَأَيُّ الْفَرِيقَينِ أَحَقُّ بِالأَمْنِ إِنْ كُنتُم تَعْلَمُونَ (81) الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُولَئِكَ لَهُمُ الأَمْنُ وَهُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ} (الأنعام82) “And how should I fear what you associate while you do not fear that you have associated with Allah that for which He has not sent down to you any authority? So which of the two parties has more right to security, if you should know? They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice - those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided. (6: 81- 82). The security in the definite form i.e. possessing the Alif and Lam encompasses all forms of security. And such security is for someone who never mixed his faith with injustice. The injustice described here is ‘Shirk’- associating partner with Allah, as interpreted by the Prophet (pbuh) to his companions on the revelation of the verse quoted above. They said: 'Who amongst us have not wronged his soul?’ Here the companions of the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him, despite recognition of their status as the best set of people after the prophets, they were afraid of the security eluding them, but why? They wondered thus: 'Who amongst us have not wronged his soul?’ 'Who among us have not sinned against Allah?’ But the Prophet assured them as he said: ((not as thought, rather it is as described by the pious slave of Allah thus: "O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allah. Indeed, association [with him] is great injustice." (31: 13) Therefore, whoever leaves Shirk- associating partner with Allah, he surely attain security: “They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice - those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided.” (6: 82) He surely gains security and guidance in this world and in the hereafter, he lives in this world on the straight path rightly guided and secured, for whoever fears Allah alone is safe from all evil. Unfortunately, the misfortune of the nations of Muslims today is that it has take various deities for worship other than Allah including evil ideologies and secularist doctrines, there is no might or power except with Allah. The Companions as Models. The companions demonstrated the best examples: {الَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَاناً وَقَالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ}(آل عمران:173) “Those to whom hypocrites said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them." But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, "Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs." (3: 173) They never nurse any form of fear: {إِنَّمَا ذَلِكُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ يُخَوِّفُ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ فَلا تَخَافُوهُمْ وَخَافُونِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ} (آل عمران175) That is only Satan who frightens [you] of his supporters. So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers. (3: 175) A believer who true understands tawheed- monotheism, fears none other than Allah. thus he will never fear disbelief, the nations of kufars, their weapons, their might and their sophistication. Added to that, he should not be afraid to address anyone or admonish him to fear Allah. If he (the believer) is someone who enjoins good and forbids evil, he must never fear the wicked and mischievous persons, hinging on the advice of the prophet (pbuh): “The best form of Jihad is the saying the truth before a tyrant ruler” That will be in this life but on the day of Judgement: {وَقَالُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي هَدَانَا لِهَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِيَ لَوْلا أَنْ هَدَانَا اللَّه} (الأعراف43) And they will say, "Praise to Allah, who has guided us to this; and we would never have been guided if Allah had not guided us.” (7: 43) Only those who have attained complete faith in Allah that will be admitted into paradise under the mercy of Allah. However, for the wrong doers who are involved in the great sins which ordinarily qualify them for hellfire, such persons, if they had faith in the monotheism of Allah, then they will end up in the paradise. For Allah had approved paradise for anyone who meet Allah (swt) without associating partner with Him, despite committing sins like fornication, stealing etc. For emphasis, whoever fulfils tawheed- monotheism, without joining partner with Allah, will surely make paradise even after expiration of some periods in hellfire. This is not to say that the perpetrators of those sins mentioned above and other types will be exonerated from hellfire, rather the emphasis here is that their fate –Allah’s willing, is security and paradise, even after the torment of hell and the terrors therein. Hence, it is evident that the greatest security achievable by mankind is in actualizing faith and monotheism in Allah (swt), or in another words, faith tranquility which is manifested in Allah’s monotheism. This provided the ground for the early Muslims to reply the people thus: {الذِينَ آمَنُو وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُولَئِكَ لَهُمُ الأًمْنُ وَهُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ}(الأنعام 82) “They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice - those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided.” (6: 82) May Allah bless us all with the Qur’an and profit us all with the messages therein, having said this, I seek forgive from Allah for me and you and all Muslims, do seek His forgiveness He is Oft-forgiving. THE SECOND SERMON Praise be to Allah alone. May peace and blessings be upon he that no other prophet succeeds, and his families and companions. Thereafter, O Servants of Allah, fear Allah and keep away from atrocious words and misleading temptations; seek Allah’s help with your actions and words in times of trials, you shall surely reach the peak of tranquility. Be aware that whoever hold firmly to this straight religion, and work by the Holy Book of Allah, and follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) has surely profit and become successful to abide in the paradise in the company of the prophets, the truthful, the matyrs and the righteous ones. Allah says: { وَمَن يُطِعِ اللّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاء وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَئِكَ رَفِيقاً , ذَلِكَ الْفَضْلُ مِنَ اللّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللّهِ عَلِيماً } (سورة النساء 69- 70) I hereby enjoin you all dear Muslims to hold on firmly unto your religion especially in this period where the experience of the one who hold unto his religion is that of a person who grips an ember of fire. The happenings in our country today among the political parties is disheartening, where two chairmen were elected for just a single party, and the clinging of an ailing governor to seat of power, it is only an evidence of personal ambitions and hero worship instead of serving the people and the nation. Oh Allah descend peace; flowing with continuous tranquility and security upon Nigeria and all other Muslim nations. O Allah accept the worship of the pilgrims of hajj and Umrah, and grant us all Your pleasure, And the last of our call will be, "Praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds!" O Allah deal accordingly with the coupists who spilled our blood, killed our brothers and sisters, inflicted difficulty our brothers in their nation. O Allah deal with the betrayers who betrayed the trust, the way You dealt with the People of ‘Aad and Thamud. O Allah deal with the traitors who murdered those praying while bowing and prostrating. O Allah, deal with the mischief makers who permitted the spilling of the blood of the peaceful innocent ones, O Allah rain on them Your punishment which is inevitable for the criminals and evil doers.,

SOME BENEFITS OF HAJJ

Praise be to Allah that made pilgrimage to His sacred house an obligation for his servants, that they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on known days over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone. Allah forgives whoever perform the pilgrimage without obscenity of sexual relations and disobedience all of his sins. And I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant of Allah and the best of the noble Messengers. May Allah bestow peace and blessings on him (pbuh), his families, his companions till the day of reckoning before the Lord of majesty and glory. Thereafter, O servants of Allah, I urge you and I to fear Allah. It is a reason for safety from calamity and forgiveness of sins and abundance of provision and ultimately entry to the paradise. Allah say: { وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاً, وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَحْتَسِبُ } (الطلاق 2-3) And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out, And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him.. (65:2-3) O Muslims! Allah says: {وَأَذِّنْ فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالاً وَعَلَى كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ , لِيَشْهَدُوا مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ ويَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللهِ في أيَّامٍ مَعْلُومَاتٍ عَلَى مَا رَزَقَهُمْ مِنْ بَهِيمَةِ اْلأنْعَامِ }(الحج:27 - 28) And proclaim to the people the Hajj [pilgrimage]; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass. That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on known days over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. (22: 27- 28) In the verse above, Allah elucidates He established pilgrimage and made it mandatory for His servants, that they may gain great benefits; known and unknown, and are of different types including worldly benefits, religious benefits, individual and collective benefits, which include the following: 1- Attainment of Piety: Piety is the goal of every matter and gatherer of every good. Hajj provides great opportunity to achieve that and attain its peak. Whoever reflects attentively on the verses of pilgrimage in the Holy Qur’an will discover a resounding repeat of the persuasion to possess piety in the hajj rites. Allah says: {الْحَجُّ أَشْهُرٌ مَّعْلُومَاتٌ فَمَن فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ الْحَجَّ فَلاَ رَفَثَ وَلاَ فُسُوقَ وَلاَ جِدَالَ فِي الْحَجِّ وَمَا تَفْعَلُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ يَعْلَمْهُ اللّهُ وَتَزَوَّدُواْ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَى وَاتَّقُونِ يَا أُوْلِي الأَلْبَابِ} ( البقرة 197) Hajj is [during] well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein [by entering the state of ihram], there is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj. And whatever good you do - Allah knows it. And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allah. And fear Me, O you of understanding. (2:197) {لَن يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَكِن يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَى مِنكُمْ }(الحج 37) Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you. (22: 37) (ذَلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ}(الحج 32) That [is so]. And whoever honors the symbols of Allah - indeed, it is from the piety of hearts. (22: 32) {وَاذْكُرُواْ اللّهَ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَن تَعَجَّلَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ فَلاَ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَن تَأَخَّرَ فَلا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ لِمَنِ اتَّقَى وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ} (البقرة 203). And remember Allah during [specific] numbered days. Then whoever hastens [his departure] in two days - there is no sin upon him; and whoever delays [until the third] - there is no sin upon him - for him who fears Allah. And fear Allah and know that unto Him you will be gathered. (2: 203) Piety is achievable through performing the hajj rites and gaining closeness to Allah through various acts of righteousness, the impact of which remains so long as the person is honest and sincere to Allah, he gains Allah’s favour and success. This is the best benefit and the greatest of all for whom Allah guides to the honour of acceptance of his hajj rites. 2- Forgiveness of Sins: Part of the benefits is forgiveness of sins, whereby the pilgrim returns home clean and pure. The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Whoever performed the pilgrimage and had not sexual intercourse (in the state of ihram), nor acts of disobedience, returns from his sins (purified) as the day his mother gave birth to him” (Agreed upon) 3- Manumission from fire: The Prophet said: “There is no day in which Allah does manumits from fire as the day of ‘Arafah” (Muslim) 4- Gaining Paradise: On acceptance of the hajj of a person, Allah had promised to reward him with paradise as stated by the prophet (pbuh): “A righteous hajj (acceptable before Allah) has no other reward except paradise” (Agreed upon). (righteous hajj (acceptable before Allah) i.e: free from sinful acts, sincerely for Allah, and from lawful earning) 5- Abundant Rewards: There are abundant rewards for many acts of obedience done at the holy sites which cannot be found elsewhere such as manifold rewards for solat: The Prophet (pbuh) said: “A Prayer (offered) in this mosque of mine is better than a thousand prayers elsewhere, except in the Sacred Mosque, and prayer at the Sacred mosque is better than one hundred thousand prayers elsewhere" (Imam Ahmad, Ibn Majah and others). Likewise, there is great rewards for circumambulation around the Ka’bah and for pointing to the two of its pillars. The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Whoever circumambulates the sacred house and observe two rak’ahs, he is like one who has set free a slave” From Ibn 'Ubayd bn 'Umayr from his father, he said: Ibn 'Umar used to crowd at the two pillars (of the Ka’bah) in a manner I have not seen any of the companion of the prophet (pbuh) did’ And I said: “O father of Abdur-Rahamaan, you do join in crowding at the two pillars in a manner I have not seen any of the companions of the prophet engaged in’ He replied: “If I do as such, verily I heard the Prophet (pbuh) saying: “Verily touching of the two (pillars) obliterate sins” And I also heard him saying: “Whoever circumambulate round this house for a week and calculate it, it is like freeing a slave” I also heard him saying: “He will not place a foot down and raise the other (while circumambulating) except that Allah cleanses him of his sins and record for him a good deed” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Khuzaimah, Ibn Majah) 6- Frequent Dhikr and Supplications: Upholding regular and frequent dhikr and prayers whereby it become habitual after the pilgrimage. Hajj entails dhikr and prayers whilst on the journey, or on stations, before and after various acts of worships and in all conditions. Whoever habituate dhikr in his life reaches the highest level and station of spirituality as expressly stated in various verses and hadiths specifically on hajj: { فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُم مَّنَاسِكَكُمْ فَاذْكُرُواْ اللّهَ كَذِكْرِكُمْ آبَاءكُمْ أَوْ أَشَدَّ ذِكْرًا}(200) سورة البقرة And when you have completed your rites, remember Allah like your [previous] remembrance of your fathers or with [much] greater remembrance. (2:200) {وَاذْكُرُواْ اللّهَ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْدُودَات} (البقرة203) And remember Allah during [specific] numbered days. (2: 203) { لِيَشْهَدُوا مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَات}(الحج28) That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on known days (22: 28) The Prophet said: “Circumambulation of the Ka’bah, the sa’y between Safaa and Marwah and throwing the pebbles were established for the remembrance of Allah” (Abu Dawud) And truly, many prayers were answered, many difficulties were made easy, and mistakes forgiven on the sacred land and during the hajj rites. 7- Directing the hearts to Allah: All what the Pilgrim devotes his mind towards in hajj including directing hearts to Allah, increasing in dhikr, chanting of the talbiyah etc, ensures sincerity and reverence to Allah. it makes one hasten to whatever draws one closer to Allah and desist from whatever leads to His wrath. This is the meaning of the Testimony of Faith in Isam- there is no god except Allah and prophet Muhammad is His messenger- ideologically, verbally and practically. Testimony of Faith has two parts; the first part reserves the exclusive right of worship in all its classifications including desire, apprehension, fear, hope, prayer, seeking help, for Allah (swt). While the second part reserves the absolute right of compliance for the messenger of Allah (pbuh), loving him, accepting his information, obedience to his command, desist from his warnings, and not to engage in any act of worship except with the recommended approach. The fulfillment of Testimony of Faith is manifested in the performing of the hajj rites and other acts of worship carried out. This without doubt is one of the greatest benefits a servant derives from hajj, worshipping God alone without joining partners with Him and abiding by the prophetic footsteps, the prophet said: “ that you should learn your hajj rites from me” (Muslim) It is therefore mandatory for a pilgrim to protect and not invalidate his covenant with his Lord after hajj, he should be cautious of shirk- associating partner with Allah, innovations, superstitions, so that he will backslide having tasted tawheed- monotheism, sincerity for Allah and compliance with the prophet (pbuh). 8- Reminder of the last day: Hajj reminds us of the last day; the standing before Allah on the day of judgement. The pilgrims stand with one feeling and aspiration, adorning a single kind of costume with bare heads, stripped of the worldly dresses and enjoyment, people of various races bonded by one emotion, gathered in one place, responding to the call of Allah. The illustration above is similar to the reality of the day of judgement, where people are gathered in a place, fearful, frightened and passionate, responding to Allah’s call from their graves for the day of accountability. This feeling injects the fear and consciousness of Allah and sincerity in the mind of the Pilgrim, in all his actions and as preparation for the day of return to God. It also assists in belittling of this worldly life, and being cautious of falling into its deceptions. Then, after the hajj, he assumes a better condition than he was, and he discharges his effort to work for the hereafter for the rest of his life. May Allah bless us all with the Qur’an and profit us all with the messages therein, having said this, I seek forgive from Allah for me and you and all Muslims, do seek His forgiveness He is Oft-forgiving. THE SECOND SERMON Praise be to Allah alone. May peace and blessings be upon he that no other prophet succeeds, and his families and companions. Thereafter, O Servants of Allah, fear Allah and keep away from atrocious words and misleading temptations; seek Allah’s help with your actions and words in times of trials, you shall surely reach the peak of tranquility. O people, part of the darkest oppression is the killing of soul which Allah has forbidden except by right. When Islam came, it brought together the minds of the Arabs after series of aggression; it united their ranks after detestable segregation. Hence, the Islamic Arab society became peaceful; foes became friends and battles rested. This approach served as shield against bloodshed of the innocent souls. But suddenly, the Jews became alerted over this newly found unity and brotherhood initiated by Islam. They viewed it as a threat to their political and economic franchise. Hence, they lit the fire of disunity and hostility, in order to return Arabs in Madinah to their former state of disbelieve, where they killed one another. Let us refer to the Quranic lessons and historical records of this event: Ibn Jarir Al-Tabari reported from Zaid bn Aslam: Shas bn Qais (who was an aged man during the pre-islamic era, with great disbelief and vehement envy and hatred against Muslims) passed by a gathering of the companions comprising of the Aws and the Khazraj who were discussing together. He was greatly displeased with what he saw of harmony and sound relationship between them, in contrast to the hitherto situation of enmity in the pre-islamic era. He then said: “The people of the tribe of Qailah are united in this land! By Allah! We (Jews) will have no stability when they (Muslims) are united”. Then he instructed a Jewish youth who was with him saying: “Go after them, sit with them, remind them of the events of the day (of bu’aath) and the realities before that, rehearse to them some poetry used then in their argument ”… thereafter the jewish youth implemented the crafty assignment, and he was able to ignite the fire of tribalism, then the people argued and boasted of personal cum tribal pride, and they said to one another: “If you wish, by Allah, we respond with strength and might”. They both called for battle and weapons at a place known as Al-Harrah. The news reached the prophet, and he reached the battle field before them. The Prophet (pbuh) stood saying: “O Muslims! Allah! Allah! Do you now use the claim of the days of ignorance while I am present among you? After Allah had guided you to Islam, and honoured you with it. He also, through Islam, severed every link to ignorance, He saved you from disbelief through it (Islam), He joined your hearts by it (Islam), and do you want to return to the earlier state as disbelievers? Then, the people realized their act was satanic incitement, and the plots of their enemies. Consequently, they threw down the weapons, they wept, and embrace one another, and they left with the prophet, with absolute obedience. There was never a day like that which started ugly but ended beautiful. This verse was revealed on that event: { يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا إِنْ تُطِيعُوا فَرِيقًا مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ يَرُدُّوكُمْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ كَافِرِينَ* وَكَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ وَأَنْتُمْ تُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ آَيَاتُ اللَّهِ وَفِيكُمْ رَسُولُهُ وَمَنْ يَعْتَصِمْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ هُدِيَ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ * يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ * وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُوا وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنْتُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُمْ بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا وَكُنْتُمْ عَلَى شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِنَ النَّارِ فَأَنْقَذَكُمْ مِنْهَا كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آَيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُون} (آل عمران: 100- 103) “O you who have believed, if you obey a party of those who were given the Scripture, they would turn you back, after your belief, [to being] unbelievers.* And how could you disbelieve while to you are being recited the verses of Allah and among you is His Messenger? And whoever holds firmly to Allah has [indeed] been guided to a straight path.* O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him].* And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.” (3: 100- 103) Oh Allah descend peace; flowing with continuous tranquility and security upon Nigeria and all other Muslim nations. O Allah accept the worship of the pilgrims of hajj and Umrah, and grant us all Your pleasure, And the last of our call will be, "Praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds!" O Allah deal accordingly with the coupists who spilled our blood, killed our brothers and sisters, inflicted difficulty our brothers in their nation. O Allah deal with the betrayers who betrayed the trust, the way You dealt with the People of ‘Aad and Thamud. O Allah deal with the traitors who murdered those praying while bowing and prostrating. O Allah, deal with the mischief makers who permitted the spilling of the blood of the peaceful innocent ones, O Allah rain on them Your punishment which is inevitable for the criminals and evil doers.,