Hijrah: Muslims should reassess their life – Prof Badmas

All gratitude belongs to Allah. We bear testimony that Allah is unique and that Muhammad is His Messenger, his testimony is a great pass to Aljannat.

I counsel you worshippers of Allah in the same way that I count myself to be conscious of Allah always. My dear Brothers in Islam, May Allah make the new year bring on to us peace, faith, salvation and Islam and may it illuminate our path leading us towards His pleasure.

Dear worshippers of Allah, it is incumbent on every Muslim to check himself, if what he has in his luggage has enough good deeds, has he committed more error or sin. It will be enough for every Muslim to hearken to the call of Shaykh Yusuf Gardawi when he said: Mankind should classify daily life time into four periods:

(i) Period for supporting to his Lord;

(ii) Period when he cross-examine himself on all actions;

(iii) Period to ponder on the wonders of Allah in different manifestations;

(iv) Period to search for self-sustenance and worldly means.

It is our obligation as we welcome the new hijrah year to endeavour to check ourselves individually and collectively by way of self-assessment.

Every one of us must check his account before being checked by the Most High. Every believer is wise only when he is contented and work for what follows after death.

The foolish man is he that follows his whims and caprices. Be conscious of how you comply with Allah’s instructions. Do you follow the instructions as commanded?  Be conscious of Allah’s prohibitions. Have you avoided them or fallen into them.

One of the Tabi’un (second generation after sahaba) named Maimoon Ibn Mahmarani said: a believer is strict when cross-checking his accounts of deeds unlike an oppressor who does not care of his deeds; and unlike a glutton who is in the habit of anything that comes his way. Cross check your deed in the outgoing year made of 12 months, made of 29 Or 30 days, made of 24 hours each, made of 60 minutes, made of 60 seconds. All these shall be in you or against your favour depending on what you did within them.

As regards our situation, in this country, what has our government done on the various challenges facing us, what effort is the government making to counter the insecurity, fear and misery being faced by every citizen? What has now become our fate here in the city of Ilorin that has ever been known as the city of harmony and seat of Islamic tradition from where the light of Islam and knowledge got to other towns and cities. The recent killings and threat to life and property calls for concern.

How come that some people have the courage to perpetrate these kinds of evil/offence which is among the capital offences in Islam. Is it for the sake of worldly gains or just to be rich? Will this world suffice you, will you not end up being turned into sand when buried? Is it political prestige that you want?

It is important to note that those who do not respect the rules of Allah and perpetrate these kinds of evil. They need to be reminded that Allah will not spare the evil doer such that when caught they will not escape. Let our leaders rise to the occasion by organising prayer and by strengthening security of life and property.

Dear worshippers of Allah, it was reported that on Friday, there is an hour of acceptance of supplication, whoever offers prayers within it shall have his request granted.

Dear worshippers of Allah, it is incumbent on our rulers, spiritual leaders as we welcome the year to return to Allah with prayer and treat our youth with justice, kindness, fairness, eschew corruption, oppression, injustice so that peace and security can be restored into our towns and cities.

We call on the security operatives to work with vigour and fear of Allah to combat the threats faced by the community.

We also call on the scholars and rulers to organise special prayer session so that Allah can save us from these calamities.

Dear worshipers of Allah, we call on the government of the day to also repent, re-examine our past when we were in affluence and rich in all kinds of resources.

What are we doing today that has made our means of livelihood to be so constrained? What can we do to regain our past riches? We need to return to Allah prayerfully in solitude and in public and be engaged in righteousness and be helpers to our fellow human beings.

We pray to Allah to make today better than our yesterday and make conclusions of all our matters to be successful and keep us away from shameful repercussion in this world and punishment of the hereafter, Amin.

*Being Khutbah delivered by Prof. Badmus O. Yusuf