Islam

Friday Sermon: The Eleventh Plague

Published

4 years ago

March 13, 2020

Eric

By Babatunde Jose

“We see death coming into our midst like black smoke, a plague which cuts off the young, a rootless phantom which has no mercy or fair countenance.” – Jeuan Gethin

The current outbreak of Coronavirus is unprecedented in the annals of world epidemics; lately declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, it spells doom for both man and country. It has wrought in its wake both health and economic crisis; a very dangerous combination. So far the virus has been contained in its lethality than previous plagues; thanks to medical science, but this will not be so for long. World economy will not be the same again; not with China, the factory of the world under lockdown. With shortages of everything from auto parts to generic medicines and production delays in things like iPhones and HP computers and printers, a great deal of pain is coming from the closing of Chinese factories. That proliferating damage has central banks and financial analysts talking about a global recession; while stock markets all over the world are in a state of turmoil: Some like the New York Stock Exchange was forced to suspend trading on Thursday.

From tennis tournaments to horse racing, football matches, NBA, formula 1 and even the Tokyo Summer Olympics stand threatened: Even Arsenal FC is under quarantine and its matches postponed; this also applies to Real Madrid with Manchester City match cancelled. Good soccer games are now being played to empty stadia and might soon be cancelled all together. Death on a mass scale is being predicted and attack rates of 50 to 70 percent of world population, is now a possibility.

The Coronavirus (Covid-19) is worse than the coming Biblical battle of Megiddo or Armageddon. God is indeed angry with man for his transgressions and inequities. For the first time in millennia, Islam’s holiest site the Kaaba in Mecca was ‘completely deserted’. The decision to suspend the Umrah which comes ahead of the holy fasting month of Ramadan starting in late April, which is a favored period for pilgrimage, has spelt spiritual doom to many aspiring pilgrims. It is unclear how the Coronavirus will affect the Hajj, due to start in late July. Catholics now receive Holy Communion on their palms. Getting very serious; with nations increasing testing and travel restrictions.

Deen Koontz in his 1981 book, ‘The Eye of Darkness’ (fiction) referred to ‘The Wuhan-400’ a virus apparently developed as a bioweapon with a 100 percent fatality rate, but on the contrary, COVID-19 has a fatality rate of 0.2 percent. While the Wuhan-400 only has an extremely short four-hour incubation period, the COVID-19 requires an incubation period between 2 to 14 days. Finally, the Wuhan-400 was said to only affect human beings, but the first cases of Coronavirus are believed to have been from animal to human interactions.

There have also been attempts to link the Coronavirus to the coming of the ‘Four Horsemen’ of the Biblical Book of Revelation signaling the End Time. Conspiracy theorists also mentioned the predictions of Nostradamus 500 years ago about the coming plague. However, according to Brian Dunning, the author of the Skeptoid podcast, Nostradamus’ predictions requires a great deal of hindsight to link to world events. Dunning said Nostradamus’ writings are grossly misrepresented and not genuine forecasts of the future. “His writings are exploited in a number of fallacious ways: Ambiguous and wrong translations, ‘creative’ interpretations, hoax writings, fictional accounts, and the breaking of non-existent codes within his quatrains all contribute to a vast body of work, all of it wrong; and trivialize his good works in favor of a pretended history of paranormal magical powers.”

However, we can learn from the past as scientists have looked to history to model how pandemics might progress. Several major plagues were documented in the Ancient world, and they tell us something about how diseases and populations interact. The most ancient in our written history, the Plagues of Pharaoh, were (according to the Book of Exodus) visited upon Egypt. Several were infestations rather than infections, but the plague of pestilence which killed all the cattle was an infectious disease which could easily have been rinderpest. The plague of boils was a festering, contagious, skin eruption which could have been impetigo, and some historians have suggested that the final plague, the death of the first born, might have been due to infected food which was given selectively to the first born when times were lean.

The ’10 Plagues of Pharaoh’ show the fear such calamitous events inspire, sweeping innocent and guilty aside together. Though, they give us cultural references they tell us little more, as they were essentially local events. However, there have been more devastating plagues that resulted in widespread deaths on an unimaginable level.

The Plague of Justinian (541–542 AD) with recurrences until 750 AD was a pandemic that afflicted the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire and especially its capital, Constantinople, as well as port cities around the entire Mediterranean. Some historians believe the plague of Justinian was one of the deadliest pandemics in history, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 25–50 million people during two centuries of recurrence, a death toll equivalent to 13–26% of the world’s population at the time of the first outbreak. It was exacerbated by the lack of hygiene, rather than person-to-person transfer that, was responsible for the devastating worldwide consequences.

The Black Death reached Europe in 1348, also known as the Pestilence, Great Bubonic Plague or the Plague was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people in Eurasia; a third of Europe’s population, 50% of England’s.

The Great Plague of London, lasting from 1665 to 1666, was the last major epidemic of the bubonic plague to occur in England. … The plague was caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium. It killed an estimated 100,000 people—almost a quarter of London’s population—in 18 months.

Bubonic plague is largely preventable with good public health measures and, now, is treatable with antibiotics. It shows us how a disease can move through a population and can keep coming in pandemic waves.

Disease and epidemics occur as a result of the interaction of infectious agent, host, and environment. An understanding of these interactions is crucial to determine the best approach to prevent or control the continuing spread of an epidemic; hence the current resort to lockdown of whole population and quarantine. This is supported by history: As the 1918 influenza epidemic spread through the US, Wilmer Krusen, Philadelphia’s health commissioner, allowed a huge parade to take place in which some 200,000 people marched. In the following days and weeks, over 12,000 residents had died. Whereas in St. Louis, by contrast, a public health commissioner named Max Starkloff decided to shut the city down; only 500 deaths were recorded. The per capita fatality rate in St. Louis was half that of Philadelphia. Are we prepared to shut down mosques, churches and ban Owambe parties and other contact gatherings when ‘the come comes to become’?

Lassa fever, a viral hemorrhagic disease, has almost 100%, rapid mortality. It may cause a local plague as it is highly infectious, but, as it is rapidly lethal and conﬁned to certain temperature and humidity zones, it tends to be rapidly shut down, ﬁrst by its own lethality and secondly by its lack of tolerance of varied geo-zones. Despite this, it has continued to ravage our land.

Inﬂuenza, on the other hand, passes all three challenges. It is easy to transmit, of low mortality and is able to survive in all ecological zones and, indeed, alone on hard surfaces for several hours. Thus, whenever the virus merges with a new immunogenic identity, the conditions are met for pandemic spread. Coronavirus or the 11^th Plague meets all these conditions, hence its seriousness for world attention.

To contain disease we can strike at several points: Reducing the susceptibility of individuals – through immunization, through improved nutrition which improves natural resistance, and through our immune systems gradually evolving resistance to the disease itself.

Reducing transmission at the setting – through hygiene control, wearing of barriers such as masks and gloves especially for care-givers, and control of transmission vectors: Hence, the need to isolate and quarantine patients.

Reducing spread – through limiting the movement of exposed or infected individuals was famously employed during the Black Death when the infected were boarded into their houses until they died or got better. The same approach is being followed in China, Italy and all countries where the 11^th Plague has spread to.

Our bodies are the tool the organism uses to multiply and spread. This is true from bubonic plague to the common cold.

Inﬂuenza spreads extremely easily through coughing and sneezing, and is infectious well before it is symptomatic; so also is the Coronavirus.

New diseases generally come from old diseases. Managing a pandemic is a problem for the world, not just individual populations. The WHO’s Global Alert and Response network (GAR) works towards combating the international spread of outbreaks ensuring appropriate technical assistance.

It’s also worth remembering that we only know we have a pandemic when we have one. Planners must spot those organisms that have the potential to become a pandemic. Thus pandemic planning can seem like doom mongering when nothing much happens. But we need to be on top of the game at all time and not until an epidemic breaks. Public health experts continue to tell us that it’s not a matter of if there will ever be another lethal global pandemic, but when. That when is now here in the form of Coronavirus? Are we ready?

Reﬂecting on diseases and how they have interacted with our ancestors through history can be interesting. We cannot, however, be complacent and we must be ready to plan. New diseases can emerge at any time – witness SARS, avian ﬂu and HIV in recent times – and others will come to challenge us.

There are many epidemiologists who talk about the potential of the virus in terms of attack rates globally that could be between 50% and 70% of the global population. To date, this is the most frightening disease the world has encountered and that includes Ebola, MERS and SARS; and it’s frightening because of the combination of infectiousness and a lethality that appears to be many folds higher than flu.

To this extent therefore, the 11^th Plague like other pandemics in the past must be addressed with all that we have. There’s nothing to stop it, besides government interventions, “social distancing,” and personal precautions.

Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend; Aku Corona ooooo!

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Islam

Friday Sermon: Orgy of Genocide and Destruction in Gaza and the Arms Bazzar

Published

7 days ago

April 12, 2024

Eric

By Babatunde Jose

Six months into the Israeli genocide in Gaza, facts are getting clear to the whole world, especially Western Europe and ‘grandpa’ United States that things are not what they thought it would be. There is no doubt they are all having a rethink about their initial support for Israel. Today, many European nations are not comfortable with the tag ‘supporters of genocide’ and with the United States have started sending cautionary signals to Netanyahu. But despite these, the United States and the West remain the major supplier of arms to Israel, hence, its continued intransigence in the face of world condemnation.

More than 33,000 people have been killed in Gaza, 70% of them children and women. 60% of Gaza stands destroyed and laid to waste. A destruction never before witnessed in modern time.

Of those killed in the Israeli air and artillery attacks on the Strip, 28,951 (92%) were civilians, including 12,345 children, 6,471 women, 295 health personnel, 41 civil defense personnel, and 140 journalists. Meanwhile, 61,079 individuals have been injured, hundreds of them critically.

Approximately 2 million or 85% of the total population of the Strip have been displaced from their homes and residential areas amid a lack of safe shelters.

The facilities that have been targeted by Israel include 320 schools; 1,671 industrial facilities; 183 health facilities, including 23 hospitals, 59 clinics, and 92 ambulances; 239 mosques; three churches; and 170 press offices.

Israel continues to escalate its military assaults against Palestinian civilians in an apparent attempt to expand its territory to include the entire Gaza Strip, uprooting the vast majority of the Strip’s population.

Israel is deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure in order to cause as many casualties, material losses, and as much general destruction as possible as a form of retaliation and collective punishment. This is against international humanitarian law, the 1949 Geneva Convention, and amounts to war crimes according to the Rome Statute, which governs the International Criminal Court. This is tantamount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

Unfortunately for Israel, the children that survive today’s genocide are the potential Hamas of tomorrow. There will never be an end to the state of war. Israel will never know peace nor sleep with two eyes closed. It must learn to live in peace with the Palestinians.

In 1939 Europe’s Jewish population was around 9.5 million people, and it is estimated that six million of these were ultimately slaughtered by 1945 by the German machine.

In an ironic twist of history, Germany that was responsible for the genocide of over 6 million Jews is today a major supplier of weapons of genocide to Israel for the purpose of exterminating Palestinians. What has the world turned to?

According to a BBC report Western governments are coming under growing pressure to halt arms sales to Israel over how it is waging the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Israel is a major weapons exporter, but its military has been heavily reliant on imported aircraft, guided bombs, and missiles to conduct what experts have described as one of the most intense and destructive aerial campaigns in recent history.

Campaign groups and some politicians among Israel’s Western allies say arms exports should be suspended because, they say, Israel is failing to do enough to protect the lives of civilians and ensure enough humanitarian aid reaches them.

Recently, the UN Human Rights Council backed a weapons ban, with 28 countries voting in favour, six against and 13 abstentions. The US and Germany – which account for the vast majority of Israel’s arms imports – both voted against.

The war was triggered by Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October, which killed about 1,200 people, mainly civilians, according to Israeli tallies.

The US is by far the biggest supplier of arms to Israel, having helped it build one of the most technologically sophisticated military in the world.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the US accounted for 69% of Israel’s arms imports between 2019 and 2023.

The US provides Israel with $3.8bn (£3bn) in annual military aid under a 10-year agreement that is intended to allow its ally to maintain what it calls a “qualitative military edge” over neighbouring countries.

Israel has used the grants to finance orders of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, a stealth aircraft considered the most advanced ever made. It has so far ordered 75 and taken delivery of more than 30 of the aircraft. It was the first country other than the US to receive an F-35 and the first to use one in combat.

Part of the aid – $500m annually – is set aside to fund missile defense programs, including the jointly developed Iron Dome, Arrow, and David’s Sling systems. Israel has relied on them during the war to defend itself against rocket, missile, and drone attacks by Palestinian armed groups in Gaza.

Since the start of the war, only two US military sales to Israel have been made public after receiving emergency approval – one for 14,000 rounds of tank ammunition worth $106m and the other for $147m of components to make 155mm artillery shells.

But US media report that President Joe Biden’s administration has also quietly made more than 100 military sales to Israel, most falling below the dollar amount that would require Congress to be formally notified. They are said to include thousands of precision-guided munitions, small-diameter bombs, bunker busters, and small arms.

One deal that is large enough to require Congressional notification is the $18bn sale of up to 50 F-15 fighter jets. Congress has not yet approved the deal.

Even though the aircraft would need to be built from scratch and would not be delivered immediately, the sale is expected to be hotly debated by Democratic Party, many of whose representatives in Congress and supporters are increasingly concerned by Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Senator Elizabeth Warren has said she is prepared to block the deal and has accused Israel of “indiscriminate bombing” in Gaza.

The US has reportedly allowed Israel to draw artillery shells from its reserve stockpile there, Israel is also home to a vast US army depot set up in 1984 to pre-position supplies for its troops in case of a regional conflict, as well as to give Israel quick access to weapons in emergencies.

Stockpiled munitions in the US. Military depot in Israel has reportedly been freely supplied since the start of the Gaza war.

Germany is the next biggest arms exporter to Israel, accounting for 30% of imports between 2019 and 2023, according to SIPRI.

As of early November, the European nation’s weapons sales to Israel last year were worth €300m ($326m; $257m) – a 10-fold increase compared with 2022 – with the majority of those export licenses granted after the 7 October attacks.

Components for air defense systems and communications equipment accounted for most of the sales, according to the DPA news agency.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been a staunch supporter of Israel’s right to self-defense throughout the war and, although his tone on Israeli actions in Gaza has shifted in recent weeks and there has been some debate in Germany, the arms sales do not appear to be at risk of suspension.

Italy is the third-biggest arms exporter to Israel, but it accounted for only 0.9% of Israeli imports between 2019 and 2023. They have reportedly included helicopters and naval artillery.

Defense Minister Guido Crosetto told parliament last month that Italy had honored existing contracts after checking them on a case-by-case basis and ensuring “they did not concern materials that could be used against civilians”.

The UK’s arms exports to Israel are “relatively small”, according to the UK government, amounting to only £42m ($53m) in 2022.

The Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) says that since 2008, the UK has granted arms export licenses to Israel worth £574m ($727m) in total.

Much of those are for components used in US-made warplanes that end up in Israel. But the British government is coming under growing pressure to suspend even those exports.

But a senior government source has said an arms embargo on Israel was “not going to happen”.

However, as the genocide in Gaza continues, the situation continues to prick the conscience of many people and nations so much so that the Government of South Africa took the matter to the International Court of Justice at the Hague, accusing Israel of genocide. However, it has since been realized the as with most UN organs, ‘talk is cheap’, they cannot walk the talk as they lack means of enforcing their judgement.

Recently the Government of Nicaragua approached The Hague, on a similar mission demanding that the Court sanction Israel and stop the genocide, accusing Germany specifically of supplying weapons of genocide to Israel. Nothing will probably come out of it.

Even in the United States some Democrat senators have petitioned President Biden to order a halt to the sale of weapons to Israel.

Unfortunately, all the protests and marches all over the world have failed to yield any result, except that people are standing up to be counted. It is rather bizarre that Nigeria, the foremost anti-apartheid nation of old and a major leader of ECOWAS and EU has remained mute on the issue. Not even a pim. Who or what are we afraid of? If ‘Free Palestine’ is too heavy for us to say, then we need not wonder why our people continue to suffer and wallow in poverty, penury, and impoverishment in their own land. The government just doesn’t care and is not bothered by the plight of its people not to talk of the suffering of Palestinians.

With all the opportunities of economic leverage at the command of its Arab brethren, it is a big shame that little, or nothing is being done to ameliorate the plight of the beleaguered people of Palestine. But soon, something must give. It cannot continue like this. With this current orgy of destruction and killings, the world is getting to know Israel for what it is, apartheid and genocidal nation, land grabber and nation of mass destruction.

Barka Juma’at and happy weekend.

Headline

Akwa Ibom Government Invests N112 Billion in Road Infrastructure Projects

Published

1 week ago

April 11, 2024

Admin

…DAKKADA OIL PALM FACTORY COMMENCES MILLING SOON

“Since May 2023, Akwa Ibom State Government Invests N112 Billion in Road Infrastructure”

Commissioner for Works and Fire Service, Prof. Eno Ibanga disclosed this when he presented a breakdown at the State Executive Council meeting in Uyo.

He revealed that 39 new road projects have been undertaken with N78.77 billion released to fund them, while old projects have been funded to the tune of over N30 Billion, with an additional N12 Billion recently released by the Governor.

Details of the Exco meeting were made public by the Commissioner for Information, Ini Ememobong.

The Executive Council also approved the increment of pension for pensioners who retired before 2012, effective April 2024.

Following the ongoing harvesting of fruits, milling will soon commence at the Dakkada Global Oil Palms.

The Managing Director of the Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation, Pastor Imoabasi Jacob announced this during his presentation at the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Umo Eno.

Two projects executed through the Direct Labour Agency have been completed with 19 other ones ongoing.

The Director of Operations of the Agency, presented a status update on the projects under their supervision, also disclosed that 31 of the 100 initial ARISE Compassionate Homes will be completed and presented soon.

The Council was also briefed on the progress at Ibom LED, where 800 people have been trained and N400m has been approved to fund the grant of N500,000 to each of the participants, which will soon be done.

The Governor charged all the Executive Council members to ensure that all the projects and programmes under their supervision are people-centric from ideation to execution. He advised that project monitoring should be ramped up to ensure quick completion.

Major Highlights of the meeting are as follows:

√Status update on Food sufficiency received; proposal on increased cocoa, rice production & Ibom Model Farm submitted by HC for Agriculture & Rural Development

√Presentation of proposal by MD, AKICORP on Ibom Towers, FalconNext, Landmark Beach Resort.

√Dakkada Global Oil Palms Ltd ready to commence milling of ongoing harvested fruits

√Confirmation of N400m disbursed at N500,000 each to 800 IBOM-LED trainees in two batches

√Briefing by HC Works & Fire Service on N112 billion disbursed by the Governor for road infrastructure since May 2023, with 39 new road projects receiving N78.77 billion & N30 Billion for old projects, with additional release of N12 Billion

√Presentation by HC Culture & Tourism on tourism blueprint for proposed development of Tourism hubs at Ikot Abasi, Itu, and Oron

√ Two projects ready, 19 ongoing through Direct Labour Agency on 1 Project per Local Government Area; 31 ARISE Compassionate Homes nearly completed

√Approval for increment of pension for pensioners who retired before 2012, effective April 2024.

Islam

Friday Sermon: Ramadan: Time for Religious and Divine Reflection 4

Published

2 weeks ago

April 5, 2024

Eric

By Babatunde Jose

During this holy month of Ramadan, all mosques have been recording a huge increase in worshippers; spiritual contemplation and acts of charity have increased; ties of brotherhood strengthened; angers and tempers subsided, and an atmosphere of peace has prevailed. If only these could continue after Ramadan, the Ummah and the country would be a better place. But lo, the evil machinations of man will gather speed once again and the march towards perdition will be renewed with vigor. It would be as if the Ramadan fast was an interlude in our inglorious life, making the whole sacrifice unworthy and an exercise in futility. This would be a great shame.

Already, we have it on good authority that there are plans afoot to celebrate the end of Ramadan with roaring rainfall. All over the metropolis arrangements are in top gear for the end of Ramadan parties. From Agarawu to Ricca, down to Okepopo, Oshodi, Freeman and Lafiaji, and all the ‘palaces’ on the Island chairs and canopies are being rented and all the tools and accessories of stormy weather are being iced. This is Lagos, land of Aquatic Splendor. But must it be like this?

We should resolve to be steadfast in the good habits acquired during the holy month of Ramadan.

Muslims should be bold enough to admit that many of their problems are created by themselves. To admit this is the first step toward solving the numerous problems facing the Muslim Ummah. We, as Muslims, are obliged to follow the teachings of the Holy Quran and the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). I believe that the only solution to our present difficulties is to read, understand and follow the teachings of the Quran in its proper perspective. Fasting is not merely abstention from food and drink; it is a temporary cessation of eating and drinking which enables attention to be directed to higher things and thus making the fast more meaningful; like kindness and goodness of which Mark Twain said: “Goodness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”

Let us pray that as we approach the end of this holy month of Ramadan, a sincere effort will be made by all Muslims to come closer to Almighty Allah through prayers, compassion, forgiveness, empathy, Zakat, and charity: And, through hard work, let us make this a better world for us and our children.

This is particularly important for our leaders, as Simon Kolawole admonished in his column: “I think our leaders need to have a genuine conversation with their consciences. As they bask in the sunshine from the balconies of their yachts, they need to ask themselves if this is the reward for our love. As they lavish billions of naira to arrange weddings for their sons and daughters and designer-cars for their wives, they need to examine their consciences. The reckless display of wealth in the midst of poverty is an insult upon injury. Nigerians are justified to expect the dividends of democracy.”

And while doing our duty by our fellow man, our families, children, and community, let us pray:

Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. Thou art our Protector; Help us against those who stand against faith. (Quran 2:286)

O Almighty Allah help us attain the true spirit and essence of Ramadan and accept our fasting. Ameen!

What have we gained from Ramadan? Have we been spiritually rejuvenated, recharged, and reengineered? Has it been morally fulfilling? Have we been able to shed many of our iniquitous baggage? Have we relinquished the sins of fornication, covetousness, and a life of deceit? Have we been able to move nearer God in an atmosphere of God-consciousness? Have we been doing the needful in our homes and to our fellow man? Have we given the orphan his due? Have we entrenched Justice, Fairness, and Equity in our daily living?

What about compassion and empathy? Do we feel the pains of our fellowmen, our subjects, and followers? Have we taken steps to right the wrongs we brought on the people around us? Have we been fair to our wives, children, relations, and neighbors? Are we satisfied with our new lease of spiritual awakening? Must all the gains of Ramadan end today? Are we returning to our old ways of cheating, backbiting, slander, and wickedness?

Today is therefore, a day of decisions. Are we going to consolidate on the gains of Ramadan or descend back into the abyss of a sinful life? The choice is ours. Ihdinas siraatal Mustaqeem.

Ramadan has rightly been described as a school of Iman and a stop to recharge our spiritual batteries. Must we allow that battery to die by going back to the old ways? The choice is ours.

Unfortunately, the fall and descent into a life of sin and iniquity starts a few days after Ramadan; when we say ‘fasting is finished, the nightly prayers are over; the group gatherings to break the fast have vanished. We can eat, drink, and be merry again when we like.’ And that special feeling of God consciousness gradually fades away. The spiritual high evaporates, and all we are left with are the bad habits we tried to shed during Ramadan which mysteriously rear their ugly heads once it is over.

Ramadan is supposed to increase our faith and God-consciousness:

“Believers! Fasting has been prescribed for you-as it was prescribed for those before you-so that you may be conscious of God.” (Quran 2:183).

Prophet Muhammad (SAW), said: “Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions [while fasting], God is not in need of his leaving his food and drink.”

Ramadan is a month of training for us so that we may become doers of good and refrain from evil throughout the year. Each and every year this blessed month helps to train us to become better Muslims.

Many of us did not say our prayers before Ramadan but during the blessed month we found it easier to pray. We cannot continue our lives without praying; otherwise, we are not fulfilling the purpose of our lives.

Allah says: “I have created the jinn and humankind only for My worship” (Quran; 51:56)

We will not be successful in this life or the next without prayer. The Prophet (SAW) said, “The first thing that a person will be questioned about is his prayers.” Missing prayers intentionally is so serious that it is tantamount to disbelief: The Prophet (SAW) said: “What lies between a man and disbelief is the abandonment of prayer.” (Muslim). Unfortunately, there will be many Muslims in Hell who did not say their prayers.

Many of us left the Quran on the top shelf throughout the year but when Ramadan came, we picked up the Quran and blew off the dust and began to recite it again. By returning the Quran to the bookshelf, we will be missing out on receiving intercession from the Quran on the Day of Judgment: The Prophet (SAW) says: “Recite the Holy Quran as much as you can for It will come as an intercessor for its reciter on the Day of Judgment” (Muslim)

Allah the Most High said:

Establish regular prayers–at the sun’s decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: For the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony. And pray in the small watches of the morning: (It would be) an additional prayer (or spiritual profit) for thee: Soon will thy Lord raise thee to a Station of Praise and Glory! (Quran 17: 78-79)

During the blessed days and nights of Ramadan we were given the ability to repent and ask Allah for his mercy and forgiveness and to thank him for his infinite favors upon us. But now that Ramadan is over, we must not stop repenting to Allah for our sins and we must continue to be thankful to Allah for his infinite favors upon us.

For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean. (Quran 2:222)

“Our Lord!” (They say), “Let not our hearts deviate now after Thou hast guided us, but grant us mercy from Thine own Presence; for Thou art the Grantor of bounties without measure.” (Quran 3:8)

Jumuah Mufeedah and Happy Eid.

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