Author: Salisu Sani-Idris

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Ansar-ud-deen Society of Nigeria on Friday afternoon and in the night, offered fervent prayers for the success of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other leaders at various levels of government in the country.

The Society beseeched God to continuously shower His blessings and mercies upon the country and her leaders in their individual and collective efforts to build a virile economy, ensure national security and promote peaceful cohabitation.

This is even as the Society emphasized the need for the citizens to renew their faith in God, inculcate the culture of prayer in all they do and refrain from cursing their leaders and nation, noting that prayers remain the only panacea to some of the identified shortcomings bedevilling the country.

The Chief Imam of Ansar-ud-deen Society of Nigeria, Abuja branch, Dr Musa Olaofe attributed some of the challenges confronting the nation to citizens’ attitude to prayer, hence, the need for all and sundry to rise to the occasion and prioritise prayers, while working hard in the quest to promote peaceful coexistence, economic growth and progress of the country.

Dr Olaofe explained that the idea behind the special Jumma’at prayer session for the country stemmed from a desire to contribute to the nation’s progress and development, while also seeking divine wisdom and guidance for its leaders.

“Today is a special day to pray for Nigeria being the last Friday of Ramadan. That is why Ansar-ud-deen organised a special prayer for this country.

” To us, that is the only thing we can give to Nigeria as a way to seek God’s face and beseech Him to bestow our leaders across levels of government divine wisdom, knowledge and understanding to lead our country to the path of growth, progress and prosperity.

“As believers, we are not perturbed over the current situation because we believe strongly in Almighty Allah and we know that in no distance time, Nigeria will overcome the predicaments.

” That is why we have once again come before Him to seek His face in order to continuously guide our leaders aright and strengthen them in their collective and individual efforts to build a nation of our dream.

“We believe strongly that with this prayer, Allah will guide our leaders right and eliminate the pocket of challenges confronting us as a nation.

“As citizens it is time to be more dedicated to things that will unite us the more. Rather than cursing our leaders, we should continue to pray for them and say positive things about our country.

” So, I appeal to Nigerians to always wish the country and her leaders well as we all know that leadership is responsibility and it is not easy to be a leader.

“The followers must have time to liaise with their leaders, move closer to them, advise them in such a way that they will admire the ways and manners in which we are advising them instead of us raining curses on them, abusing them calling them names.”

In his remarks, the Chairman of the 2024 Ramadan Committee of Ansar-ud-Deen Society, Abuja branch, Ismail Omipidan revealed that the Society had successfully provided daily meals for over 500 fasting Muslims since the commencement of the Holy month.

Omipidan extolled all members of the Society for their support for the Committee just as he thanked well -meaning Nigerians who donated generously to the Society throughout the month of Ramadan to execute the feeding initiative and other obligations targeted to propagate and promote Islam.

“Apart from the special Jumma’at prayer being held this afternoon, this night is our lailatulKodir (Night of Majesty), therefore, we shall be holding another special prayer for ourselves and the country tonight. The prayer, which would include observation of special Nafilat, will be led by our Chief Imam, while Sheikh Abubakar Issa Otte Solaty will be the Guest Speaker on the occasion.

“Our theme for this year’s Ramadan is ‘Ramadan: The Inspirational month to seek Allah’s protection over security challenge in Nigeria.’ We believe that there is the need to complete our efforts with prayers to get the desired result in our quest to confront headlong the security challenge facing the country.”

On his part, Chairman, Ansar-ud-deen, Abuja branch, Mohammad Kabir Olayiwola also urged Muslims to maintain and sustain the good deeds exhibited during the Holy month beyond Ramadan period.

Speaking on the numerous benefits embedded in the last ten days of Ramadan called ‘Lailatul Qadri’ – the Night of Majesty, Olayiwola said the Society deliberately chose and dedicated the period to pray for the country, citizens and their leaders.

He said: “Just like our leader Prophet Muhammad (SWA) has taught that the sword of Mumeen is prayer and today, being Lailatul Qadri, any prayer said, Allah has promised in the Quran that it will be answered, so we believe today’s prayer is a special one. We believe in the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that is why we are contributing our own quota to support him in prayers to succeed, because if he succeeds, Nigeria will succeed.

” So, we believe we can only pray for him, and we have been praying believing that our prayers would be answered,” Olayiwola said.

Meanwhile, the Ansar-ud-Deen Society, Abuja branch, yesterday shared raw food, specifically, rice to its members, numbering over 400 and other members of the public.

The essence, the society noted, was to enable the less privileged too, to enjoy the sallah celebration which takes place this week.

By Salisu Sani-Idris

An Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Shuaib Agbarere, has advised Muslims faithful to prioritise piety and religion in chosing their spouses.

Agbarere gave the advice at the weekly Ramadan lecture organised by the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society in Abuja.

The topic of the lecture was, ” Preparing Our Children for Marriage: Islamic Approaches.”

He noted that ” it is important for Muslim to marry a woman who devotes to religious practices. If you marry a religious woman, you have married the most beautiful woman.

“If you marry a religious woman, you have married the most richest woman. Therefore, tell your children to prioritise piety and religion while going into marriage.

” Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said a woman is married for four reasons: for her wealth, her status, her beauty, and her religion.

” However, he (prophet Muhammad) advised that we should go for a religious woman.”

The cleric noted that all the socioeconomic and security challenges bedeviling the country could be addressed if the couple got right marriage.

“Allah says among His signs is that He created for you partners, your spouses so that you have peace in them.

“And Allah created among you love meaning that Allah has designed it in such a way that we cannot live single, we have to come into one another to have a community.”

He emphasised the need for parents to take the responsibility of educating their children about marriage.

” You are married that is why you have children and these children will marry but you don’t take them to any college for lecture or education to earn certificate about marriage.

” You only enrolled them in schools to earn certificates in sciences, law, philosophy. In fact, you will even tell them go and do your masters degree in a field of study.

” But you never have time to call them and say there is one field that is difficult that you cannot get to the end of it without experience.

” So, it is the experience you have that you will give them as a guide that will illuminate their paths,” Agbarere said.

The cleric, who also is a legal practitioner, urged prospective couple against marrying vagabond who doesn’t have a future.

“As parents, prepare your sons to be responsible not to allow their wives to be sustaining the marriage.

“Allah says men stand like pillar for women same way that Allah gives preference for some of you over others.

“Sadly, many husbands today are not responsible,” cleric said.

He warned men and women against secret marriage, saying ” some people will say we can do it secretly and you will be giving me children, say no, Islam doesn’t want that.

” Islam wants us to publicise marriage and say from today Mr and Mrs Rukayat and Abdullahi, they are now coming together as couple.

” Let us prepare our children for that so that they will know that marriage is not secretive, it is an open thing.

” So, when you do that, you know that you are now preparing for a better tomorrow of any nation,” the cleric said. (NAN)

By Salisu Sani-Idris

A marriage counsellor, Dr Aisha Adaviruku, has cautioned Muslim couples against anal intimacy as it is prohibited in Islam.

Adaviruku, made the call at the Ramadan Weekly lecture titled, ” Preparing Our Children for Marriage: Islamic Approaches, organised by the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, on Saturday in Abuja.

Adaviruku said that the Islamic legal system teaches Muslims everything about life, including how couples should have intimacy and train their children.

She said “another regular challenge that comes to my counseling class is based upon intimacy.”

She noted that parents hold a very huge space in ensuring that their children understand the true essence of marriage.

She, therefore, implored parents to enroll their children in premarital counseling especially those who are due for marriage.

” As parents we are good role models for what an Islamic marriage should look like. The first thing that we should remind our children about marriage is believe in God.”

She also cautioned Muslim couples against going outside the fold of Islam in search of solutions to their marital problems or challenges.

Adaviruku emphasised that marriage in Islam is an act of worship, saying “we do married only to seek for thr pleasure of Allah.”

She particularly advised married women to be grateful to their spouses whenever they discharge their responsibilities to them.

Earlier, Sheikh Shuaib Agbarere said ” if we don’t get married right, we can’t get our nation right.”

Agbarere, who is a legal practitioner by profession also warned against premarital sexual intercourse.

” Let us tell our young daughters that a man should not say because I have known your father and mother we are in marriage already we can do anything.

” No, you cannot do anything until when the wedding is pronounced,” he said. (NAN)

By Taiye Olayemi

Pastor Lawrence Oji, popularly known as “Pastor Solution”, on Monday urged clerics in Nigeria to focus more on salvation rather than prosperity, in their sermons.
The cleric, who was a drug addict and an ex-habitual offender, made the call during a news conference in Lagos.
Oji is a minister with the New Covenant Church, London and Coordinator of Saving Hands for Alcoholic and Drug End-Users (SHADE).
He said that increased cases of depression, drug abuse, urge to rape and commit all forms of atrocities among Nigerians, result from limited access to messages of salvation.
He noted that majority of the clerics preach prosperity, neglecting the challenges people were confronted with.
He advised clerics to deliberately focus on the gospel of salvation rather than prosperity.
“Clerics must begin to priotise preaching on the theme of salvation and minimise that of prosperity because many people have not received salvation and are confronted with serious challenges that cannot be compared to material possession.
“The ministry of every Christian is to look out for those in bondage and ensure they are released.
“Many are in the ministry for self interest. Pastors should begin to teach people the word of God in line with salvation so that they can have personal encounter with God,” he said.
Speaking on his journey to salvation, Oji said he wasted over 30 years of his life engaging in hard drugs and later got depressed as a result of his quest to leave the habit.
“I was always giving out drugs to people who desired to have them but were not financially bouyant to get. That made me acquire the nick name ‘Mr Solution’, then,” he recalled.
According to him, while being addicted to drugs in Italy, he was imprisoned countless times.
He said his horrible sojourn in drugs neccesitated his taking up evangelism, “to put those suffering from drug abuse and depression on the right path of God”.
“Peer group influence led me into hard drugs. I also led many people to drugs in Nigeria. My addiction was so bad that I tried going to the hospital to be rescued, but to no avail.
“My mother went to different places to take me out of drugs and she was told my destiny was spiritually tied to drug.
“I am sharing my story so that people in similar situations can be hopeful. Through this, I got depressed and, at a point, stabbed myself so as to die. Within a year I destroyed five cars because I just wanted to end it all. I deliberately bashed those cars.
“But, on March 21, 2001, the desire to smoke left me after being prayed for by one of the prison ministers at the highest prison in Italy. At this point, the authorities were already tired of me, my name was among those to be deported after serving my sentence.
“But, somehow, God intervened and I was not deported as planned. People should not give up on their loved ones. They should rather pray for them and preach to them to be free from every bondage.
“Now, I go to prisons across the world to preach salvation. I also go to places that are abodes of drug addicts. I make sure they are delivered. So, clerics should do more,” he said.
Oji said he was from an affluent family and joined the Nigerian Police at a point in time.
“I later moved to the banking industry and was a pioneer member of the Institute of Bankers.”
Oji said he was disposed to golden opportunities but never took advantage of them due to drug addiction.
“My utmost desire now is to establish a rehabilitation centre that will cater for victims of drug abuse and depression without financial commitment from beneficiaries,” he said.
The cleric also spoke of his love for late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
“While in the Nigerian Police Force, I was assigned to guard Fela after his house was burnt and he was hospitalised at the then Creek Hospital in Lagos,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that Lawrence Oji is from Abia State and holds a first degree in Economics and a Masters degree in Theology and Religious Studies.
He has published seven books in his bid to relay his life experiences to encourage and inspire others.
The books are – From Prison to Pulpit; Soul Winning Made Simple; Not Without a Scar; Depression: The Silent Killer, causes, consequences and cure; Positioned by Grace; Stubborn Faith and Power of Hope. (NAN) (nannews.ng)