By Niimah Ahmad/Ilorin
The need for cordial relationship among family members has been reiterated as a tool for promotion of love, cooperation, peace and harmony in Muslim family settings and the society at large.
Alhaji AbdurRazaq Adegboyega AbdusSalam, a veteran journalist and the first National Amir of The Muslim Congress (TMC), Nigeria who noted on Saturday at the aqeeqah (naming ceremony) of his granddaughter held at Araromi, Gaa- Akanbi area, Ilorin, Kwara state said marital union goes beyond joining a man and his intending wife, but it is actually the joining of the two families from where each emerge.
This, he said means members from both families from that day of the holy union are thereby required to cooperate in order to foster peace among themselves.
Alhaji AbdusSalam advised Muslims to connect with their family members, support one another by striving to cater for their needs when and where necessary.
He said the groom and bride families should always see themselves as one entity.
Also speaking at the well-attended aqeeqah by families and friends, Ustadh AbdulWasiu Musa Ajani enjoined the new parents, Umar AbdurRazaq AbdusSalam (RN) and Zaynab Olurode (an I.T. guru) as well as those present to ensure that their children are tailored towards being complete Muslim personalities by teaching them sound understanding of Islam that will make them dedicate their worship to Allah alone even after the demise of the parents.

Mallam Musa reminded the Muslims that mankind and jinns are created to worship Allah, hence the need for them to nudge the offsprings to sound acts of worship; good manners to neighbours and acquaintances; respect the elders among other virtues.
He warned them to desist from indulging the kids in frivolities as that would eventually prevent them from imbibing good morals that are essential for growing into the desired Muslim personalities.
“It is saddening that most parents these days encourage their children to attain excellence in mundane affairs such as waking early for school, but are never forthcoming in performance of religious activities like being punctual at religious gatherings and observance of solah at the prescribed times”, he lamented.
The revered scholar particularly advised Muslim parents to select good names with right pronunciation for new babies because bad names or good names pronounced wrongly do have negative consequences on the lives of the individuals as they grow into maturity.
In his address, Ustadh AbdulHakeem Peleowo, the erstwhile coordinator, (Wali) Kwara state chapter of The Muslim Congress, announced the name of the new baby as Layla As- Sahla, Olaoluwakiitan, Omolara, Morenike, among others.
Ustadh Paleowo emphasised the need for the new parents to ensure the baby grasps comprehensive knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) just like the first Layla -As- Sahla bint Suhail bin Amr, the female companion she is named after.
According to Ustadh Peleowo, the name Layla is symbolic as it conotes a resting period; a special time when true servants of Allah get closer to their Lord while majority of mankind sleeps; a period when critical decisions are taken without distractions. Linguistically he said, Layla means a person who sees issues in deeper perspectives, beyond the ordinary.

Other dignitaries at the occasion include Doctor Yunus Olurode, the maternal grandfather of the baby; Barrister M.B.K.Afolayan, a close ally to the paternal grandfather; Alhaji Aliyu Akosile, a veteran journalist; Ustadh Hussein Olugbon CEO, Al Madeenah International; Dr. Yusuf Kamil, lecturer, Chemistry department, University of Ilorin, Kwara state.