…LEMU holds quarterly Da’wah Workshop
The keynote speaker at the quarterly da’wah workshop of Lekki Muslim Ummah (LEMU), Engr. Yunus Adeniji Raji, says Islam provides a blueprint for creating a sane, harmonious and just society.
The da’wah workshop took place on Sunday, September 24 in Lagos with the theme: ‘Towards a Sane Society.’
Muslim News reports that the event was attended by Islamic scholars, youth groups, students and families from various parts of the state.
Engr. Raji said Islam is a comprehensive way of life that emphasizes the importance of establishing a society that is built on the principles of justice, equality, and respect for all individuals, regardless of their race, religion or social status.
“The pursuit of a harmonious and balanced community has been a long-standing aspiration of humanity. Throughout history, societies have grappled with various challenges, ranging from inequality and injustice to insecurity, drug abuse and moral decadence. By addressing these issues, we can create a society that is not only functional but also compassionate, equitable, just and sane,” he added.
The keynote speaker noted that education should be accessible to all individuals in a sane society.
According to him, by promoting education, we can empower individuals to contribute positively to the society and make informed decisions.
He further said, “Islam encourages the pursuit of knowledge and intellectual growth. The Qur’an states, “Read! In the name of your Lord who created” Surat Al-Ala (Quran 96:1). This verse highlights the importance of seeking knowledge and understanding the world around us.”
Engr. Raji asserted at the workshop that by adhering to Islamic principles, our society can be free from discrimination, violence and moral decadence.
“It is our collective responsibility to work towards establishing such a society, where every individual is treated with dignity and respect,” he said.
Speaking on the sidelines of the workshop, the Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque, Sheikh Ridwan Jamiu, lamented the moral breakdown in society, saying a sane society no longer exists.
“There’s no sanity in the society. No sanity in politics, family, the educational system and virtually everything. How do we sanitize it, because it’s obvious that this insanity can affect us too if we want to claim to be sane in the society? We or our children may also be caught up in this kind of insanity. We need to look into our situation to address the insanity in the society and talk about steps to take in other to sanitize it as much as we can. That is what informed the topic,” the Islamic scholar said.
Sheikh Jamiu expressed optimism that the workshop would have a lasting impact on the participants.
“We deliberately invited some youths from schools. We have some Muslim students who are undergraduates from universities as participants. We have some families here and we believe it is going to be impactful and beneficial because it has always been beneficial. Also, with the kind of awareness people have today, we believe that they’d think straight and think right and see the reasons they need to engage others in this reformational step everybody is meant to take as Muslims.”
Facilitators harp on family reorientation as way forward
‘Parents must be intentional about parenting: Lagos education official
For her part, Director of Quality Assurance, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Alhaja Hamidat Mojisola Sanni, said parents must be intentional about parenting to tackle the moral decadence in the society.
“The level of moral decadence in the society is very appalling. The youths are no longer guided and parents aren’t there for them. Some parents are unparented. We also have parents that are parented but the search for money, hustling and bustling of life has made them abandon the primary responsibility of parenting. So, we just abandoned our responsibilities as parents, as if it will just happen. Unfortunately, there are so many pull factors outside that are ready to pull the children away from us and they’re getting stronger by the day,” she said.
“Parents must go back to the basis and be intentional about parenting. You don’t assume. Even when you’re not going to be around, you must know to whom you’re handing your child over. Not just anybody. Also, as they’re growing up, you must learn to engage them. As I stated, the Qur’an says that in the first seven years of the child’s life, be close to them. What is that supposed to do? To bond you with your child. If the bonding is there, by the time you want to teach the child and you’re now becoming firm and a bit harsh, the child will appreciate it and know that it’s because they’ve done something wrong. It will be easy for the child to retrace his or her steps.”
The director also urged parents not to undermine the place of prayer in parenthood, saying they must always seek Allah’s support and guidance.
“We also can’t undermine the efficacy of prayer. Remember the prayer of Prophet Ibrahim (AS). Up till today, we’re still benefitting from it. So, we shouldn’t undermine the effect of prayer as parents. We must always pray for Allah’s support so that in the hereafter we’d be there with our family. May Allah guide us aright.”
Children mirror parents, says Dr. Funsho
In his address, Dr. Abdurrahman Funsho, a cardiologist and Chairman, Da’wah Committee, LEMU, noted that the family is the nucleus of any society and that children form their behavior from observing their parents.
He said parents are losing focus on their responsibilities in guiding their children to become morally upright adults.
“Children learn from what they see their parents do. if in your own daily life, you do not exemplify the high values that are necessary to create an adult who is also of high value, the result is that your children will grow up with the values they’ve seen you exhibit not what you tell them to do. If you tell them something is wrong and they see you doing it, you’ve negated what you’re saying.
“Psychologists have made a lot of studies that children learn between the ages of 2 and 9. They learn from what they see their parents do. We need to realign ourselves with the rules we have as parents to make sure we act from the Islamic tenets of living a virtuous life. Most of us know what that means.”
Dr. Funsho also said that people in the community must start taking action to correct ills in the society.
“The challenge we have generally is that we complain things aren’t going right, but at the same time, we refuse to participate in the process. If we don’t participate, things will not change. Newton’s first law of motion says everything is going to stand still as they are until you move them. If we keep complaining without action, nothing will change. So it’s fundamental to our polity that all of us, particularly those who feel strongly that we’re going in the wrong direction to take action for our country to move better and serve the majority of our population. We need to stand up and take action.”
