The Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque, Sheikh Ridwanullah Jamiu said attainment of good living and harmonious relationship among people can only be achieved through sound faith.
Sheikh Jamiu made this assertion on Sunday at a quarterly workshop of the Lekki Muslim Ummah (LEMU) at the Lekki Central Mosque Complex, Lagos.
The programme with the theme, Leading a Good Life, was chaired by the former National Legal Adviser, All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Muiz Banire.
The Chief Imam explained faith as the pivot upon which people’s lives revolve, saying their worldview, lifestyle, behavior and affiliations are determined by the kind of faith they profess.
“Faith is the principle of religious belief that determines our convictions, perceptions and actions.”
Noting that there are various systems of faith in the world such as Atheism, Agnosticism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Idolatry and Islam, Sheikh Jamiu stressed that Islam remains the only acceptable faith to Allah and that, “others are either abrogated or unfounded”.
Addressing the topic, Sound Faith: A prerequisite for Good Life, the Islamic scholar listed ways by which individuals could develop sound faith. These include: constant studying of the Qur’an, Hadith and Islamic literatures, listening to good sermons, keeping the company of the righteous ones, constant remembrance of Allah, chanting of Dua (prayers) and making Taubah (repentance).
Speaking at the event, a Professor of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Mrs Fatimah Abdulkareem said keeping healthy is a compulsory requirement for Muslims, noting that good health leads to good life.
Citing the World Health Organisation, the former National Ameerah of The Criterion said good health is not only the absence of disease and infirmity, but also a complete wellbeing in all ramifications – physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual.
In her presentation, titled, Good Health: A Criterion for Good Life, Prof. AbdulKareem enjoined Muslims to invest their health in good deeds as they would be questioned about it on the Day of Judgement.
She said physical health is necessary to attain spiritual health, citing the tradition of the Prophet that “a physically able believer is better and more beloved to Allah than a weak believer.”
Also speaking at the workshop on Halal wealth, A means to Good Life, was the Managing Director of First Bank Nigeria, Alhaji Sola Adeduntan, ably represented by Mal. Abdullah Ibrahim, the bank’s executive director, public sector.
Mal. Ibrahim said that in Islam, its compulsory for Muslims to seek earning from legal ways and make themselves busy towards benefiting from all legal means on earth.
According to him, We live in a world where everything needs money. Money for school fees, house rent and other regular bills, investment, among others. The significance of wealth is increasing on daily basis, however, among the integral principles of Shari’ah is the prohibition of illegal earning.
“It is compulsory in Shari’ah to use legal way of earning money and avoid the illegal ways as Allah says in Q2: 173, which clearly states that Muslims are permitted only to eat good from what has been provided for him
He therefore called on Muslims to be guided by the Qur’an and Hadith in order to avoid falling into earning in an illegal way
“Legal means halal, that which is permitted with no restriction and doing that which Allah allows. As Muslims, we must not take a job or any business except we’re completely sure it’s pure, because earning from halal is one of the important parts of the creation. Earning from halal is an act of worship, which is the main essence of creation,” he added.
Speaking earlier in his welcome address, the Vice President, Lekki Muslim Ummah (LEMU); Dr AbdulGaniy Labinjo defined Da’wah as calling both Muslim and non-Muslims to understanding the worship of Allah as directed by the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW).
“In Islamic theology, the purpose of Da’wah is to convey the message of the Qur’an to mankind. The Prophet said he brought the same message of the earlier Prophets and Messengers, but the only difference is that his own Da’wah is universal, while those before him were limited to their own people”, adding that “the Prophet’s companions and subsequent followers continued from where he stopped.”
The chairman of the occasion, Dr. Banire stated that adhering to the tenets of Islam in accordance with the Qur’an and Sunnah is the only pathway to a good life, particularly in the face of the current global catastrophe.
According to him, “In the face of global catastrophe, the only way to enjoy a good living is to submit ourselves to the will of Allah. It is only through this we can be saved at the moment. It’s only through this we can enjoy life.
“Leading a good life requires adhering to the tenets of Islam. That is why Allah says He hasn’t brought us to the world for nothing except to worship Him and once we are able or worship Him in the manner established by the Qur’an and Hadith, certainly we will continue to enjoy a good life.
“During our days in MSSN, we used to say that Qur’an says, Hadith says. A good life is an inheritance of a Muslim. It is something that we have inherited since we profess to be Muslims. Once you submit to the total will of Almighty Allah, certainly everything you do will lead you to a good life,” he said.
The workshop also featured presentation from other speakers, comprising academics, professionals, Islamic scholars and leaders in both public and private sectors.
Guests who graced the event included Former President of LEMU, Dr Braimo Waliu; Representative of Director General, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, Mal. Abubakar Tijani; another strong pillar of Lemu, Chief Kunle Uthman; Chairman, Zakat & Sadaqat Committee, LEMU, Alhaji Olalekan Saliu and Alhaji Akeem Oyewale, the Chief Executive Officer of Marble Capital Limited, a leading ethical investment firm in Nigeria, among others.
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