Headline

Friday Sermon: Reflections on Ramadan Fast 3

Published

8 years ago

May 25, 2018

Eric

By Babatunde Jose

Prophet Muhammad said: “You see the believers as regards their being merciful among themselves and showing love among themselves and being kind, resembling one body, so that, if any part of the body is not well then the whole body shares the sleeplessness (insomnia) and fever with it.” (Al-Bukhari)

We want others to put themselves in our shoes and view the world from our perspective. That is empathy – putting oneself in someone else’s shoes. We feel close to the person who is empathetic to us, find it easy to share our thoughts with them, go to him or her when we’re in problem and seek solace. Each of us has a natural sense of empathy through which we connect to others.

There are two aspects of empathy: cognitive and affective. Cognitive empathy is about understanding another person’s point of view, their emotions and needs at the intellectual level. Affective empathy is about actually feeling an emotion that another person is experiencing.

If only our leaders would empathise with the suffering multitude, they would do the needful and set the country on the path of sustained development. But they would not. These are stone-hearted people who are bereft of the milk of human kindness. The Prophet attested to this when he said: “None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself.” (Al-Bukhari) A man without empathy will therefore be devoid of faith.

This hadith necessitates cognitive empathy. You have to firstly imagine yourself in someone else’s shoes and think from their perspective in order to understand what you would do in his situation.

A believer who has achieved excellence of faith will feel this special love for other believers. This is affective empathy.

The Quran stresses that righteousness is not in precise observance of the rituals but in acts of compassion and kindness. It says that the litmus test for true belief and genuine worship is that it leads to compassionate living:

Goodness does not consist in turning your face towards East or West. The truly good are those who believe in God and the Last Day, in the angels, the Scripture, and the prophets; who give away some of their wealth, however much they cherish it, to their relatives, to orphans, the needy, travellers and beggars and to liberate those in debt and bondage; those who keep up the prayers and pay the prescribed alms; who keep pledges whenever they make them; who are steadfast in misfortune, adversity and times of danger. These are the ones who are true, and it is they who are aware of God. (Quran 2:178)

This verse talks about a set of beliefs and then a set of good deeds, the intricate relationship between the two escapes many if not most.

Every Friday in the second part of the sermon, Muslims all over the world hear a verse, which stresses, justice, kindness and natural mutual love as among the closest blood relatives:

Indeed, Allah enjoins justice, and the doing of good to others; and giving like kindred; and forbids indecency, and manifest evil, and wrongful transgression. He admonished you that you may take heed. (Quran 16:91)

He makes His relationship or His Providence to the common man, conditional to common human compassion, by claiming that those, who wish to find Him, will succeed only if they are kind and compassionate to the common people:

Fasting cleanses your soul and makes you appreciate all your blessings. Fasting humbles you; it makes you feel compassion for the poor who experience that type of hunger every day. At the end of the day, however, we have a big dinner; the poor don’t have that luxury. That is why Muslims are required to give zakat on an annual basis. Many choose to do this during Ramadan. This money is either given personally or through a charity. The main thing is that it must be paid.

We are taught to not only fast from food and drink but to try to refrain from conflict, anger and mean words. Our prophet (peace be upon him) says, “Saying a nice word is like giving to charity.” And he also said, “To smile in the face of your brother is like giving to charity.” We are to be kind and loving to each other. We are to be forgiving, not only in this month but in every month. But for some reason, this month brings out the best in everyone.

During this holy month, we spend a lot of time reading our Quran: We also spend a lot of time praying, trying to help those who are less fortunate and performing good deeds, which in turn cleanses our hearts and souls. For one month, we truly do become less selfish, less self-cantered and more focused on what really matters in the world.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, in sharing his wishes, for all observing the holy month of Ramadan, urged action on behalf of millions of forcibly displaced people worldwide. “Through our reflection, we come to recognize that while words may reassure, it is only through action that we can truly see tangible change,” he said. “We continue to live in extremely complex times where violence is multiplied, conflicts are protracted and tens of millions of people are forcibly uprooted or on the move. This has created unprecedented levels of human suffering and desperation. “Millions of people like you and I are living in a constant state of conflict, insecurity and persecution: Their loved ones torn from them under inexplicable circumstances. Think of civilians in Syria or Yemen. Think of the plight of the Rohingyas in Myanmar, Bangladesh and the other countries to which they have fled”. And I urge you to also think of the castrated and emasculated people of Palestine: Pray for them and remember them. May Allah make it easy for us; Ameen.

Barka Juma’at and Ramadan Karim

+2348033110822

Headline

Amid Denials, ADC Reportedly Secures Rainbow Event Centre As Venue for National Convention

Published

9 hours ago

April 13, 2026

Eric

Baring any last minute change, the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as National chairman and National Secretary respectively will hold the party’s National convention at the National Rainbow Event Centre in Garki on Tuesday, 14 April 2026.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has being denied two venues without any cogent reasons despite early arrangements, according to sources.

First, it was alleged that the Abuja Transcorp Hilton Hotels, which was initially approached, turned down the ADC request to use it’s facility.

The ADC, having sensed sabotage, has kept the Rainbow Event Center under rap as it’s definite venue.

The last National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party was held at the same venue.

Located adjacent the Nigerian Police Force Headquarters, the event centre will host the second NEC meeting of the ADC and it’s forthcoming national convention.

According to The Guardian’ report, the ADC leadership has communicated the venue to state chapters with the caveat not to escalate it.

The ADC is in a battle of survival against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and has approached the Supreme Court for intervention.

The INEC national chairman Prof Joash Amupitan has suspended recognition of the David Mark-led ADC rendering a leadership vacuum in the party.

INEC said it’s decision was on the basis of an Appeal Court pronouncement that ordered statusquo ante-bellum be maintained.

Reports say that why the venue is being quietly decorated moderately for the event, the ADC intends to fully move in the early hours of Tuesday.

The Guardian

Headline

Shettima Lacks Respect, I Won’t Engage Him, Atiku Responds to VP’s Challenge

Published

10 hours ago

April 13, 2026

Eric

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has hit back at incumbent Vice President Kashim Shettima over the latter’s poser over achievements in office, saying he won’t take the challenge because Shettima was disrespectful.

Shettima had reportedly challenged Atiku to provide details of eight projects he executed for the development of Northern Nigeria during his tenure as vice president for eight years, as well as name eight individuals he empowered while in office.

But, speaking in an interview with GTA Hausa podcast, Atiku said he would not engage the vice president on the matter.

“I will not respond to Kashim Shettima because he is disrespectful. I am older than him and I have more experience in governance than he does, so I will not respond to him,” he said.

The former vice president further argued that cultural values in Northern Nigeria discourage younger individuals from publicly challenging their elders in such a manner.

“It is not part of our tradition in the North to disrespect elders. You cannot look at someone who is above you in both age and accomplishments and start taunting him. That is not our tradition, so I won’t engage with him,” Atiku emphasised.

Headline

2027: ADC Leaders Plan Massive Coalition Against APC, Tinubu

Published

13 hours ago

April 13, 2026

Eric

There are indications that the ongoing dispute in the leadership of African Democratic Congress (ADC) may lead to the formation of a 10-party coalition, far bigger than what was initially envisaged, reports quoting sources close to the opposition have said.

The Senator David Mark-led leadership of the ADC was removed from the portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on account of what the election umpire said was its interpretation of the ruling of the Court of Appeal, which directed it to maintain status quo ante bellum in a suit involving the Mark-led executive and Nasiru Bala Gombe, a claimant to the national chairmanship seat of the party.

While Senator Mark-led team has argued that the said Bala Gombe lacks the locus standi to institute the suit or lay claim to the party’s chairmanship seat, having resigned his position in May 2025, INEC insisted it would no longer recognise either of the parties in the ADC.

Following the imbroglio, a source, however, said that those pushing the ADC might end up leading it to a bigger coalition, as the development has opened the eyes of many opposition leaders to the possibility of a broader coalition.

Last week, leaders of the ADC engaged a group of leaders from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), while it also engaged with leaders of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), aside from what was called ongoing cross-party discussions with the newly formed National Democratic Congress (NDC).

“What we are seeing is that the loss of ADC on one hand could be the gain of the opposition in this country. What those fighting the ADC don’t know is that you cannot keep the people silent when they are determined to exercise their rights of association. The ADC will be on the ballot in 2027 with a coalition bigger than earlier envisaged,” a source in the know stated.

The source stated that already, the ADC coalition looks good to benefit from the travails of the Tanimu Turaki-led PDP, as well as the resolve of members of other parties whose leaders believe they can benefit from a broad-based coalition in 2027.

It has earlier been reported that the attempt by the leaders of the ADC to rally a strong party behind the possible choice of former President Goodluck Jonathan or in the alternative, a Peter Obi/Rabiu Kwankwaso presidential ticket, is upsetting the ruling party, whose strategists were said to have activated cells of internal opposition within the emerging coalition.

A leader of the ADC, however, said that those pursuing the coalition party are surely pushing it into better things. The way things are going, we may end up with at least a 10-party coalition. That would be bigger than what we initially set out to do,” the source stated, adding that such a development would amount to a masterstroke against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which he said had chosen to interpret the court ruling awkwardly.