By Rasheed Abubakar
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Sheikh Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, has said that seeking sound Islamic knowledge is a fundamental prerequisite for guidance and definitive success in life and the hereafter.
Pantami made the revelation at the International Peace and Unity Convention on Sunday, November 4, 2022, in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, where he delivered a lecture on ‘The Perquisite for Guidance and Definitive Success’.
He said Muslims must look out for time to seek sound Islamic and worldy knowledge for guidance and success.
“The fundamental prerequisite for guidance and success is seeking sound Islamic knowledge. Allah will only accept our testimony (kalimatu-s-shahaada) when it is established on sound Islamic knowledge. Our ibadat (prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, etc) can only be accepted when we perform them based on sound Islamic knowledge. If we acquire sound Islamic knowledge, that’s the first prerequisite of our guidance. There is no way a Muslim will be guided successfully without knowing Allah.
Day 2 of International Peace and Unity Convention ongoing at the International Conference Centre. May the Almighty make it beneficial to humanity. pic.twitter.com/CuQWGZJbIo
— Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim, CON (@ProfIsaPantami) December 4, 2022
“We must know Allah before we serve Him. That is why no matter how we complain that we have no time, we must find time out of no time to know Allah, serve Him and worship Him. Our excuse of saying we have no time will not be accepted on the Day of Qiyamah because the main reason we are in this world is to serve Him. Any other thing we do is secondary. Our primary reason for being on this cosmos is to know Allah and worship Him rightly. Any other mission that makes us forget this primary mission by implication is leading us astray.
“There are so many verses in the Qur’an that remind us about seeking Islamic knowledge. For example, in Suratu Aal Imran Verse 18, Allah says He bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Him. The Angels also testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah. The knowledgeable people also bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah.
Day 2 of International Peace and Unity Convention. pic.twitter.com/mKtrii69pE
— Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim, CON (@ProfIsaPantami) December 4, 2022
“Imam Qayyim Aljawziyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, in his book Miftaa Daari -s- Sa’ada, while commenting on this verse and other verses expounded other 120 benefits of acquiring knowledge in Islam. One of the reasons he mentioned was the fact that even if the ignorant testify that none deserves to be worshipped except Allah, their testimony will not be accepted by Allah. The only testimony that would be accepted by Allah is the one built on sound Islamic knowledge. There is nowhere in the Qur’an where Allah recognises the witness of the ignorant.
“There is no religion in the world that has shown to us the value of knowledge than Islam. Not only religious knowledge, even worldly knowledge. If you are a pious Muslim, sometimes, the worldly knowledge you acquire will take you closer to Allah. You will appreciate the beauty of Allah’s creatures. Islam and sound knowledge are synonymous. This synonymity has been mentioned in so many places in the Qur’an. We must create time out of no time to learn about our religion, even if it is once a week, “the Minister said.
Brother Shakil Malji @shakilmalji1 from the United Kingdom with @ProfIsaPantami during the second day of International Peace and Unity Convention 2022. May the Almighty make the event beneficial to humanity. pic.twitter.com/yhfaq5gJCd
— Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim, CON (@ProfIsaPantami) December 4, 2022
Renewal of Eeman
Pantami also explained that eeman (our faith in Allah) is not static as it increases and decreases, adding that we must always pray to Allah to renew it.
“Our time on this cosmos must have an end, but nobody knows when. This is what makes life very difficult and also unpredictable. And at the same time, our faith is not static, it increases and decreases. That is what makes even guidance itself something unpredictable and very difficult. You could be guided today and misguided tomorrow. Someone could be misguided today and by tomorrow, he could be guided.
“By implication, that guidance is not automatic and is not even static or permanent. It changes from time to time. When it changes, you may not be able to realise. That’s why beloved Prophet (SAW) said, your faith in Allah expires from time just as your clothes become worn out, that you do not need them again. Your eeman increases and decreases. It will reach a point that it no longer matters to you because it has expired. So, supplicate to Allah to always renew your eeman when the one with you expires.
The presentation of @ProfIsaPantami during the International Peace and Unity Convention 2022. pic.twitter.com/reVBfG0n3I
— Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim, CON (@ProfIsaPantami) December 4, 2022
“We must ensure that we always partake in self-assessment, self-criticism, self-judgement, self-evaluation from time to time to check our eeman. Compare this year and the last. Try to make a synthetic analysis between this week and last week. Look at your actions to know if your faith is increasing or decreasing. You need to partake in self-evaluation and also self-criticism to determine your level of eeman in Allah. If you discover that you are coming closer to Him, you must be grateful to Him and try to maintain the tempo. And if you discover that your relationship with Allah is becoming worse by the day, then you need to see how you can improve. This is very important.”
Allah is the source of guidance
According to Sheikh Pantami, who emerged the winner of Nigerian Muslim Personality of the Year 2020, the Glorious Qur’an has enunciated to us clearly in over 127 verses that Allah is the source of guidance, success and whatever you get in this world or in the hereafter.
@ProfIsaPantami with some delegates and participants during break at the International Peace and Unity Convention 2022.
Selfie with beloved ones. pic.twitter.com/GdeA4XEku3— Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim, CON (@ProfIsaPantami) December 3, 2022
“So, if we speak about guidance and success, both of them are from Allah. However, Allah describes to us certain actions and deeds that if we partake in, we will be guided and successful. Both of them are from Allah, but we are told to partake in certain actions so that Allah may guide us and make us successful in this world and the hereafter. There are so many verses in the Qur’an that show to us that if you are looking for guidance, that guidance is from Allah.
“For example, Allah says in Suratu Zumar Verse 23 that guidance belongs to Him and He guides whomever He pleases. Misguidance is also from Him and whomever Allah makes to go astray will not find a guide. So, guidance is from Allah. You cannot get it on a silver platter. You have to wake up and fulfil the conditions for guidance so that Allah can guide you. This is indeed very important.”
Visit of our scholars of International Peace and Unity Convention 2022 to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR. May the Almighty make it beneficial to Nigeria and humanity. pic.twitter.com/OKmQWX2Bvl
— Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim, CON (@ProfIsaPantami) December 4, 2022
He also listed other prerequisites for guidance and definitive success to include supplication, good action and companionship.
“The second prerequisite is supplication. Supplication is also important; that’s making du’a for guidance. You do what is humanly possible, but you must be very consistent in praying to Allah. Your effort alone cannot yield a positive result. Back it up with supplications. The Hadith I quoted on the increase and decrease of eeman also encourages us to supplicate to Allah to renew our eeman. Suratu Aal Imran verse 8 says, “Oh our Lord, let not our heart be deviated after you have guided us”. This is a very important supplication for Allah’s guidance and success in both worlds.
“If you check the book Hisnul Muslim, you will see so many prophetic supplications for guidance. The Banu Gifaar were guided because of supplication. The Banu Aslam were guided because of the prayer of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Most probably, we were guided to Islam because of the supplication of our forefathers. So, don’t in anyway underrate the power of du’a. However, what is sometimes condemnable is that you have the ability to act but you decided not to do so and sit down to pray. We must follow our prayers with good actions where we can. It’s very important.
Brother @omarsuleiman504 with @ProfIsaPantami during the International Peace and Unity Convention 2022 taking place in Abuja.
May the Almighty make it beneficial to humanity. #Peace pic.twitter.com/jqPm9rX1Xd— Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim, CON (@ProfIsaPantami) December 3, 2022
“The third prerequisite is engaging in good actions. A Muslim is not supposed to be a lazy person. As a Muslim, you have to be very active. You have to be very active in knowing your religion, very active in worshipping Allah, very active in whatever you do. A popular hadith says a strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than a weak Muslim, even though there is good in both of them. The Prophet (SAW) also says we should strive hard in whatever is beneficial for us, and seek Allah’s assistance.
“The fourth prerequisite is good companionship. Good companionship is key to our guidance and success. Who are your friends? What do you do with them? We know many Quranic citations and Prophetic traditions that emphasise the importance of good companionship. Our friends play a significant role in our guidance and success. When your friend invites you to do wrong, you disagree with him and explain things to him. But if he doesn’t listen, staying as friends with him in Islam is not allowed. You have to stay with companions that will take you closer to Allah. Most of our youths are being misguided because of friendship.”
