A Professor of Communication and Language Arts, Imam Taofiq AbdulAzeez has urged the rich and elite Muslims to reallocate the huge monies spent on what he described as ‘unnecessary’ frequent Hajj and Umrah, Hijrah celebrations, among others to the empowerment and rehabilitation of severely deprived Muslims.
Prof AbdulAzeez made the call in his Hijrah 1442 AH message released yesterday, August 20, where he rejoiced with Muslims all over the world for witnessing another Islamic New year.
The renowned Islamic scholar rolled out roadmaps in ameliorating the plight of less privileged Muslims.
AbdulAzeez, who is also the Imam of the University of Abuja, also pleaded with the Muslim leadership to change the narrative with regards to the plight of Muslims by implementing what he called “the implementable and critically pertinent Shari’ah issues that have pinned us down for so long.”
The message reads: “The new Lunar (popularly known as Hijrah) year is with us. I congratulate Muslims all over the World for the gift of Life, relative security, peace of mind, good health and happiness that made it possible for us to remember and meet the new year.
“I’m aware of the sorry state of our intellectual inertia and anomy that has facilitated and empowered few ignorant but lousy ones among us to condemn everything (especially non-religious issues) as BID’AH. I’m therefore, not bothered about the possible attack on this Message from their quarters. I wish them well.
“I, hereby, PAINFULLY APPEAL to the Muslim Patent Umbrella Organization and the Patent Leadership to USE THE OCCASION OF HIJRAH, in all contents, spirit and letters, to CHANGE THE NARRATIVE AND PLIGHTS of the Muslims through the IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IMPLEMENTABLE and critically pertinent Shari’ah issues that have pinned us down for so long.
“The following are some of the most important, urgent and emergency inroads:
1. Naming and Shaming of Muslims in Authority, Office, Power or Influence who have consistently FAILED to STOP INSECURITY in our land. An ultimatum to Name and Prosecute the Owners and Proprietors of Banditry (including and especially Boko Haram) Kidnapping, Armed Robberies, Herdsmen violence and other violent crimes in their domain. These are FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN (not just Muslim) RIGHTS with their NEGATIVE impacts on the spiritual, economic and social life of our people.
2. The STOPPAGE of the well organized, funded, defended and protected Al-Maijiri system; not only because children, youth, able-bodied and women begging (which it has turned out to be) is neither Islamic nor human, but because of the well known SECURITY, social, economic and health implications of this menace.
3. STOPPAGE OF POLITICAL THUGGERY among the Muslim children and youth because of its Security, economic and social Implications.
4. Eradication of DESTITUTION tragically associated with Islam and Muslims. This is possible if the monies spent on Qur’an Competition, Hijrah Celebration and unreasonably frequent Hajj and Umrah are diverted to the rehabilitation and empowerment of the severely deprived Muslims otherwise known as destitutes on our streets.
5. CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENTS OF GOVERNMENTS at all levels on GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY as corporate social responsibility in line with Q3:104;110 and the HADITH of the Prophet: ‘Whoever sees evil among you, let him change it with his hands. If he can’t, then with his mouth and if he can’t, then with his heart though this is the weakest of faith.’
In conclusion, Professor AbdulAzeez tasked Muslims to be Shari’ah compliant at home, workplace and in the neighbourhood, noting, “These are the networks of the best roads to Da’wah to usher in the Shari’ah.
“Members are generally urged to be Shari’ah compliant at home in the care, love for and training of the members of their families; at work in terms of integrity and accountability and in the neighborhood and Masaajid in TRUST and GOOD CHARACTER,” he said.
