Taoreed Abdullahi
Muslim faithful are under obligation to do more almsgiving and pay their Zakat as commanded by Almighty God to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Arts, Tourism and Culture, Mr. Olanrewaju Bajulaye gave the charge at this year’s Ramadan Lecture organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Lagos Information Chapel.
Mr Bajulaye commended the successful Chairmen of the union for keeping the tempo of the Ramadan lecture for about two decades, saying that the Ramadan Lecture was initiated to educate the faithful about the significance of the holy month.
He said that Ramadan brings so many benefits to the faithful; if well harnessed, there are more rewards and blessings.
He said the essence of being here today is very key and important, fasting is not a hunger strike, if you say you are fasting and you’re not listening to the words of Allah through sermons, lectures and other speeches that are being given by lecturers and not fellowship with other Muslim faithful, you’re embarking on dry fast on your own because the essence of it is for you to move closer to Allah.
Mr Bajulaye said It was important to understand that there are so many things that are involved that just don’t eat during Ramadan. If we engage ourselves in the things that are involved more than not our eating and restraining ourselves from eating, then we will be able to do what the tenets of the Quran tell us.
“I am sure at a period like this we are supposed to do more of zakat, at a period like this we are not supposed to be cooking for ourselves, the period like this we are supposed to restrain ourselves from things that either we don’t like other persons to do for us, at a period like this we are supposed to be more friendly so that nobody will even know that we are fasting. It’s a period for us to take sober reflection; it’s a period to look at where we are coming from, where we are and where we are going. It’s also a period to extend our hand of fellowship to our fellow brothers, religion harmony matters. Mr Bajulaye
He also advised Nigerians to preach peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance, that’s what we do in Isale Eko; you will see the husband being a Muslim and getting married to a Christian, and they live together and raise their children to understand the tenets of both religions.
He enjoined people not to be selfish and to help others for God’s rewards. At a time like the hardship should not be reflected, extend hands of fellowship.
In a welcome address, the Chairman of NUJ, Lagos Information Chapel, Mr Debo Adeniji enjoined members of the union to learn and reflect on the significance of Ramadan.
The Chairman of the Ramadan Committee, Shakiru Opeyemi Badmus said the topic which was Ramadan: A Proven Catalyst for Charity and Philanthropist and the Zakat and Sadaqat: the Realities of our Social Economic Environment was to encourage faithful to foster etiquette of giving and to imbibe the culture as part of life to ease the biting economic situation of the country
He said that:Where we are today, it’s common knowledge that the situation of the economy is not in the right shape, hence the reason for the selection of the topic which intends to inspire people to support others
He is of the opinion that if people extend their hands of fellowship to the less privileged, the level of theft, hooliganism and undesirable elements of society would be reduced to the barest minimum.
He noted that that’s the reason why the topic is chosen and zakat which is one of the five pillars of Islam. It’s encouraged that we all crave to imbibe the culture of giving.
He used the occasion to send a word of courage to the well-meaning Nigerians to pay their Zakat as enjoined in the Holy Quran to make a positive impact in the lives of the people.
He said going by the popular saying that givers never lack, we all need to know that the more you give, the more you get, and Islam has encouraged in most chapters of the Holy Quran that people should pray that five times compulsory prayer and pay their zakat and Sadaqat. The purpose the Zakat intends to fulfil is to make sure that no one is poverty-stricken to the extent that not feed themselves.
The guest lecturer is the head of Surgion, General Hospital in Lagos, Dr Sa’eid Ahmad who spoke extensively on the topic “Ramadan: A Proven Catalyst for Charity and Philanthropist” said Ramadan is a training grounds for the faithful to learn piety, saying that if faithful feel what the less privileged are feeling in their lives as a result of hunger during Ramadan, it will assist in support the less privileged and appreciate God Almighty for the mercy.
In the second Lecture delivered by Director Haadhal-Bayt Foundation, Imam Ahmad El Labeeb Imotola who x-ray how Zakat can be used to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. He emphasised that Zakat is like a redistribution of wealth in which the rich people pay little to support societal upliftment.