* True Hijrah is migration from sin to righteousness, says Imam Roji
* Current, former Wali advocate moral renewal and accountable leadership
The Muslim Congress (TMC), Lagos State, has called on Nigerians to embrace the spiritual lessons of Hijrah by abandoning wrongdoing, strengthening faith and promoting sincerity as practical steps towards addressing the country’s worsening insecurity.
The call was made on Sunday, July 5, during the special Muharram 1448 AH Adhkaar organised by the organisation at its Dawah Centre in Ijesha, along Oshodi Apapa Expressway, Lagos, with the theme, The Etiquettes of the Prophet’s Hijrah in Achieving Security in Present Time.
Muslim News gathered that the programme featured special prayers for Nigeria, counselling sessions, a voluntary blood donation exercise and a lecture delivered by the Head of the Dawah Research Unit of The Muslim Congress National Headquarters, Imam Roji Salman.
Seeks divine intervention over Nigeria’s insecurity
Delivering the lecture, Imam Roji Salman said the gathering focused on seeking divine intervention over Nigeria’s persistent insecurity while drawing lessons from the migration of Prophet Muhammad from Makkah to Madinah, which he described as one of the greatest events in Islamic history.
He said the first objective of the programme was to pray for Nigeria and ask Allah to restore peace and security across the country.
“The first focus of today’s programme is to pray for Nigeria because of the insecurity we are experiencing. We pray that Allah will make Nigeria a peaceful and secure nation,” he said.
Imam Roji stressed that prayers alone would not solve the country’s challenges unless people sincerely reformed their character, strengthened their faith and remained conscious of accountability before Allah.
He added that weak faith and disregard for the Hereafter have contributed to crime, violence and other social vices.
Speaking further, the renowned Muslim scholar said Hijrah should not be viewed only as physical migration but also as a transformation from sinful conduct to righteousness.
He urged Nigerians to migrate from disbelief to faith, from indecency to decency and from selfishness to selflessness, saying lasting national transformation begins with personal reform.
Also speaking, former Wali of The Muslim Congress, Lagos State, Alhaji Mansur Adebayo, said the lessons of Hijrah remain relevant to individuals and national leaders because they promote positive transformation in character and daily living.
According to Adebayo, Muslims should constantly renew their intentions, improve their conduct and seek Allah’s forgiveness instead of remaining comfortable with past shortcomings.
“Every day calls for self renewal. We must clean away our bad records, improve our conduct and continue to seek forgiveness from Allah,” he said.
Commenting on the country’s security situation, Alhaji Adebayo expressed concern that political activities ahead of future elections appear to be receiving greater attention than the protection of lives and property.
He urged leaders to prioritise the security and welfare of Nigerians above political ambitions, saying, “The security of lives and property should be more important than political calculations.”
The former Wali, who is the Head of Business Development and Marketing at Hajj Mabrur Ventures Limited, the Hajj and Umrah arm of The Muslim Congress, reminded public office holders that every action taken in office would be accounted for before Allah.
He also called on Nigerians to continue praying for their leaders while demanding responsible governance, accountability and policies that serve the common good.
Alhaji Adebayo further urged Islamic organisations and community groups to intensify public enlightenment, promote peaceful coexistence and complement government efforts through humanitarian activities.
He said Muslims should never remain silent in the face of wrongdoing but should peacefully encourage righteousness in line with the Quran and the Sunnah.
Muharram Adhkaar spotlights enduring lessons of Hijrah: Olusesi
Also speaking, the Wali of The Muslim Congress, Lagos State, Alhaji Tajudeen Olusesi, said the special Muharram Adhkaar was organised to mark the beginning of the Islamic New Year and reflect on the enduring lessons of the Hijrah.
He said the theme was chosen because Nigeria is facing insecurity and other challenges that require both spiritual reflection and practical solutions.
According to Olusesi, the Hijrah offers valuable lessons on strategic planning, leadership, community building and security management.
“We are using this opportunity to pray for our nation because Nigeria needs prayers. At the same time, we must work hard, learn from the lessons of Hijrah and apply them in building a better country,” he said.
Mall. Olusesi disclosed that The Muslim Congress mobilised leaders from its 121 branches across Lagos State to participate in a voluntary blood donation exercise in collaboration with the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service.
The Wali said the initiative was inspired by Islamic teachings on preserving human life and was intended to support government efforts to address blood shortages.
He added that the programme also featured a leadership session focused on expanding community service, public enlightenment and humanitarian activities during the new Islamic year, while urging Nigerians to embrace the values of sacrifice, cooperation and mutual support.
He recalled that Prophet Muhammad united people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds in Madinah and urged political leaders to promote unity rather than division.
Mall. Olusesi commended members of The Muslim Congress for participating in the blood donation exercise organised in collaboration with the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service.
Details of the blood donation exercise is published HERE
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