By Babatunde Jose
“By the Glorious Morning Light, And by the Night when it is still, Thy Guardian Lord hath not forsaken thee, nor is He displeased. And verily the hereafter will be better for thee than the present. And soon will thy Guardian Lord give thee (that wherewith) thou shalt be well pleased. Did He not find thee an orphan and give thee shelter (and care)? And He found thee wandering, and He gave thee guidance. And He found thee in need, and made thee independent. Therefore, treat not the orphan with harshness, Nor repulse the petitioner (unheard); But the Bounty of thy Lord-rehearse and proclaim!” (Surah Al-Duhar, Quran 93:1-11)
None of the prophets of God were about prosperity or making people rich but we’re all about the spiritual wellbeing of their followers.
In Islam, riches are in the Dunia, that is a worldly affair and end at the gate of the grave. We do not take our wealth to the grave nor does it count on the Day of Resurrection. Neither will we be judged by the number of houses we had or the robustness of our earthly bank account. Neither are we going to be judged by the number of wives and children we amass while on this divide. Only our character will be the yardstick.
All the prophets of God preached this doctrine and more. Their emphasis on the requirement and passport to the kingdom has been the same: Iwa lesin, our character; not our wealth or other considerations, but faith and its practicalization.
The foregoing brings to fore the question: What is the purpose of life? In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were not made to last forever. However, when our hearts stop, it will be the end of our body, but not the end of our spiritual body or soul. This life is a rehearsal for eternity; it therefore has its rules and modus operandi. This is the essence of all religions and the purpose of sending us prophets. The goal is to grow character. Ecclesiastes 12:13 sums it all: It says, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
The exemplary life of prophets is epitomized in the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as relayed in Sura Al-Dhuhr above. The same could be equally said about the life of Jesus; the prophet who did not have any earthly treasure, unlike his modern day ‘pastors’ who are obsessed with prosperity as if that will open the door to the ‘kingdom’.
In the short chapter of the Qur’an, entitled al-Duhar, or “The Morning Hours”, Allah speaks directly to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and enumerates some of His blessings to him.
The chapter opens with the verses:
By the Glorious Morning Light, And by the Night when it is still, Thy Guardian Lord hath not forsaken thee, nor is He displeased. And verily the hereafter will be better for thee than the present. And soon will thy Guardian Lord give thee (that wherewith) thou shalt be well pleased. (Quran 93:1-5)
Allah assures him that He has already given him so much, in this world and the next, and further assures him that what is soon forthcoming is better than what has passed.
Allah had indeed given the Prophet (SAW) so much. He gave him the Qur’an which contains His words and guidance for humanity. He gave him followers who were steadfast and righteous, and the Prophet (SAW) would continue to have followers in every generation to come. Allah gave him a community of believers which would endure until the end of time. Allah fortified him with the noblest character.
As Allah says elsewhere in the Qur’an:
“And indeed you possess an exalted standard of character.” (Quran 68: 4)
Indeed, Allah had given him the highest honor by making him the greatest of all prophets and the final prophet to humanity. In spite of all this, Allah still addresses Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as His “servant”.
For instance, Allah says:
“Blessed is He who revealed the Criterion to His servant.” (Quran 25:1) and “Glorified be He who carried His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose precincts We have blessed.” (Quran 17:1)
Allah continues addressing Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in Sūrah al-Dhuhr with the following words: “Did He not find thee an orphan and give thee shelter (and care)? And He found thee wandering, and He gave thee guidance. And He found thee in need, and made thee independent. (Quran 93: 6-8)
Regarding wealth, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) lived very simply. At the time of his death, he had no money and his shield was being held in mortgage by a Jewish man. The Prophet had even said: “We (prophets) leave no estate. Whatever we leave behind is charity.” Bukhari (3093) and Muslim (1759)]
Yet, the whole world had been opened up to the Prophet (SAW), all of its luxuries and comforts were at his disposal. Indeed, had he beseeched his Lord to give him a mountain of gold, Allah would have granted it. However, he was content with being a servant and Messenger; our ‘men of God’ today will never do this.
Rather, they want to ride in the state of the art SUVs and the latest private jets; scam and fleece their congregants. These modern day inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah take from the poor to enrich themselves; modern day ‘agba lowo ‘meri’. They will surely render accounts on the Day of Reckoning.
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) never coveted possessions or kept any worldly things for himself. He loved to spend for the sake of Allah whatever wealth came to him.
Are our leaders taking care of the poor or showing them compassion? Rather, they embezzle the pension funds, steal the funds meant for our security and protection and covet our patrimony.
Finally Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is commanded to proclaim the great blessing and honor that Allah bestowed upon Him. This is not a command to be boastful, since these blessings are from Allah and not from oneself. It is rather a declaration of the Lord’s grace and generosity, since no one has any claim on Allah.
Let us always remember that our prosperity, our wealth and even our health are gifts from God; they are by His Grace and generosity. This is so with our late brother who died last week: Muftau Oladapo Durosinmi-Etti. Inna lillahi wa inna illehi rajiun.
FAREWELL BEARER MUFTAU OLADAPO DUROSINMI-ETTI 1948 – 2025
A Bearer for all seasons. He answered the call of his maker last Saturday 26th July and was buried on Sunday July 27th at the Ebony Vaults, Ikoyi. There were tributes galore at the cemetery. It is said that when beggars die there are no Comets seen, the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of the likes of Dapo. It was an all-comers event at the burial.
Erin wo!!! This is a sad blow to us all! Wrote, Bearer Muyinudeed Aderemi Makanjuola. He was a jolly good fellow with a heart of Gold. He showed us all what it’s to be a man of faith who held the tenets of Islam & believed strongly in upholding the principles of the founders of Crescent Bearers. From his sick bed he ensured he hosted us in his house for his last Crescent Bearers meeting which happened to be his last engagement with us. May his soul continue to rest in perfect peace. Good night my good friend. To his family & us all my condolences.
Bearer Supreme wrote: May the Almighty Allah forgive his sins, overlook his shortcomings, grant him peace and succor in the grave and admit him into Al Jannah. He was indeed a jolly good person. May the Almighty Allah see him in the same light and have mercy on his lovely soul. Ameen. Justice Wale Abiru, JSC
And the Hon, General Secretary, Crescent Bearers (1939), Bearer Segun Williams wrote: Alhamdulillah for the life and legacy of Bearer Oladapo Mufutau Durosinmi-Etti, a devoted leader and philanthropist who left an indelible mark on the Crescent Bearers (1939), Lagos and his immediate community and constituency.
As a member and former Chairman of Crescent Bearers (1939), Lagos, he demonstrated exceptional leadership, compassion, and dedication to the Association’s mission. His vision and efforts focused on bringing people together and allowing those around him fly on the back of his wings which helped in fostering a sense of unity and purpose.
His contributions to the CB and selfless service to his community and constituency will be remembered for generations to come. May his legacy continue to inspire and motivate others to make a positive impact on their communities. Aamin.
As we pray for peace and succor in the grave, we ask Almighty Allah SWT to forgive his trespasses, overlook his shortcomings and elevate his status to Al’jannah Fir’daus. Aamin.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.
May his memory be a blessing and comfort to all who knew him. Aamin.
Inna lillah wa inna illehi rajiun.
Allahumma aghfir lahu warhamhu wa ‘afihi wa’fu ‘anhu wa akrim nuzulahu wa wassi’ mudkhalahu waghsilhu bil-ma’i wath-thalji wal-baradi, wa naqqihi min al-khataya kama yunaqqa ath-thawbu al-abyadu min ad-danas, wa abdilhu daran khayran min darihi wa ahlan khayran min ahlihi wa zawjan khayran min zawjihi, wa adkhilhu al-jannata wa a’idhhu min ‘adhabi al-qabri wa ‘adhabi an-nar.
“O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him, grant him ease and pardon him. Honor his abode and expand his entry. Cleanse him with water, snow, and ice, and purify him from sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. Replace his home with a better home, his family with a better family, and his spouse with a better spouse. Admit him into Paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave and the torment of the Fire.”
Barka Juma’at and a Happy Weekend
