Islam

Friday Sermon: Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Published

2 years ago

October 28, 2022

Eric

By Babatunde Jose

When facing difficulties, our weak faith can sometimes drive us to question the fairness of it all. In this context, we should remind ourselves that believing in al-Qadr (Allah’s divine will and decree) is one of the pillars of Islamic faith.

“No misfortune can happen on earth or in your souls but is recorded in a decree before We bring it into existence: That is truly easy for Allah: In order that ye may not despair over matters that pass you by, nor exult over favours bestowed upon you. For Allah loveth not any vainglorious boaster.” (Quran 57:22-23)

As believers we should recognize that only Allah’s Grace and Mercy can deliver us from challenging situations. Life is full of twists and turns. We will all experience many highs and moments of great happiness, but there will inevitably be periods when we experience pain, sadness, and tougher times. It’s in these moments that we find comfort in the people closest to us. We all look for that special person who’s prepared to reach out a helping hand and ease our troubles with love and support.

For many observers, today’s world seems indecipherable. The Earth is in such jeopardy that some scientists speak of a new accelerated geological era. The resurgence of barbarism and terrorism in the name of religion is seen as a historical regression.

At the same time, waves of technological innovations are constantly surging, particularly in the fields of energy and information — sources of economic, ecological, and social transformations. These advances point to an accelerated evolution of the human being.

Never has the present been subjected to such a tectonic shock between its future and its past, the consequences of which seem difficult to foresee and can sometimes be distressing.

Between naïve belief in the unlimited benefits of technology and resignation to the cycle of calamities, there is room to build global governance aiming at organising a geopolitical order to derive the best of the human experience.

We live in a time when it is not popular or politically correct to be a believer. God and His people are mocked by the media. They are portrayed as narrow-minded, bigoted, judgmental, and self-righteous phonies. Our values and morality are scoffed at, and religious zealots are condemned and vilified. Yet there is a case for faith and a need for God in our lives.

We live in a time where right is called wrong and wrong is called right. The media is brainwashing our children into believing that there is no such thing as absolute truth – that truth depends solely upon what you think is right now.

As a result, morality has gone the way of the dinosaur, and those that are godly are feeling more and more like David did way back when he wrote Psalm 12: “Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. They speak vanity to everyone with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak…”

When we see the corruption and godlessness that surround us every day, we need to pray for one another so that we will be strong and not influenced by the world. We need a bridge over our troubled waters. When our souls are weary, and we are feeling small; and there are tears in our eyes and we need someone to dry them. These are very trying times indeed. Things are rough, very rough.

The rains and floods have ravaged our land, our homes, and our farms, impoverishing us, turning the haves into have nots and the marginal poor into the wretched of the earth, hewers of wood and drawers of water. Poverty in the land has been exacerbated by unrelenting disasters that still promise to come. Yet, our leaders are more concerned with our PVCs and our votes in the coming election. Unfortunately, a dead man cannot marry, neither can he vote.

So, we need to pray for divine intervention for God to open the eyes and minds of our leaders to our present predicament. Pray that they will make godly decisions and uphold what is right.

In the light of the ungodly society that we find ourselves in, we need to do everything that we can do to live beyond reproach. We should all be of one mind:

“So, verily, with every difficulty, there is relief: Verily, with every difficulty there is relief.” (Quran 94: 5-6)See also, (Quran 3:160), (Qur’an 2:214)

Natural disasters around the world are occurring at an alarming rate. We are witnessing earthquakes that demolish whole cities, wildfires that burn thousands of acres, and cyclones that cause mass flooding and property damage.

Whether they are raging wildfires, deluges of violent rain, or forceful movements in the earth’s crusts, the impact of natural disasters is merciless and immeasurable. High death tolls and property damage leave people devastated. The scope of these events inevitably causes political, social, and economic turmoil, amplifying the tragedy and creating a vulnerable climate.

Historically, some natural disasters have almost ended the world; such as the Tunguska event, the largest impact event in recorded history which occurred on 30th June 1908 in Podkamennaya Tunguska River in Siberia, Russian. The explosion represents energy about 1,000 times greater than that of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. It knocked down some 80 million trees over an area of 2,150 sq km.

Because these are forces, we are yet to master the technology to prevent, the time has come for all men to seek divine protection from the vagaries of natural disasters.

We cannot stop the wind from developing into gale force or preventing it from transforming into a hurricane or typhoon. No matter the dykes we build and the seawalls we erect, we cannot prevent the rising of the tide and the ocean from surging and eroding our land. We are helpless against torrential rains that refuse to stop and create monumental floods.

We cannot stop the Arctic ice from melting, nor can we stop the volcanoes from erupting. We can also not prevent the earth from quaking: Science has not invented the ways to prevent tectonic movements. America, with all its technology could not prevent Hurricane Andrew, nor were they able to prevent the equally devastating Michael with its attendant cost in human misery.

Violent natural disasters have been a fact of human life since the beginning of time, but the death counts of the most ancient of these disasters are lost to history.

The Minoan eruption of Thera, dated around 1500 BC was one of the largest volcanic events in recorded history. It devastated the island of Thera (now called Santorini). Environmental effects were felt across the globe, as far away as China and perhaps even North America and Antarctica.

The legend of Atlantis and the story of the Biblical plagues and subsequent exodus from Egypt have also been connected to the epic catastrophe.

There are no first-person accounts of what happened that day, but scientists can compare it to the detailed records available from the famous eruption of Krakatoa, Indonesia, in 1883. That fiery explosion killed upwards of 40,000 people in just a few hours, produced colossal tsunamis 40 feet tall, spewed volcanic ash across Asia, and caused a drop in global temperatures and created strangely colored sunsets for three years. The blast was heard 3,000 miles away.

Thera’s eruption was four or five times more powerful than Krakatoa, geologists believe. A drop in temperatures caused by the massive amounts of Sulphur dioxide spouted into the atmosphere led to several years of cold, wet summers in the region, ruining harvests.

The eruption has also been loosely linked with the Biblical story of Moses and the exodus from Egypt. The effects of Thera’s eruption could have explained many of the plagues described in the Old Testament, including the days of darkness, and polluting of the rivers, according to some theories.

The earthquake that occurred in Japan on 11 March 2011 was measured at magnitude 9.0 by the US Geological Survey and was one of the most powerful ever recorded. The tsunami that hit north-eastern Japan following the earthquake was 15 meters high in some areas and it travelled 10 km inland. Moving at high speed it washed away everything in its path including people and property. It also devastated the nuclear power plant at Fukushima. As a result of this natural disaster the number of people dead or missing is put at around 30,000 and the Japanese economy suffered a major blow.

Hurricane Katrina struck the states of Louisiana and Mississippi in August 2008, 1,836 people died and overall damage was estimated as exceeding $100 billion. Although this was America’s costliest natural disaster, the deadliest natural disaster in US history was the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 that killed between 6,000 and 12,000 people in Galveston.

Natural disasters are happening here too, and they bring untold hardship to our people. Here we are, uninsured, insecure, and unprotected against natural disasters. Our farms are game for flash floods to destroy, leading to increased food insecurity in a clime where food is not enough.

Landslides and gully erosion are daily threatening the lives of people in parts of the East, without any succor or hope on the horizon. Most states in the country have been inundated by floods and the number of internally displaced people has increased astronomically.

Disasters may be explosions, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornados, or fires: In a disaster, you face the danger of death or physical injury. You may also lose your home, possessions, and community. Such stressors place you at risk for emotional and physical health problems.

At such times we should realize: To God do belong the unseen (secrets) of the heavens and the earth, and to Him goeth back every affair (for decision): then worship Him, and put thy trust in Him: and thy Lord is not unmindful of aught that ye do. (Quran 11:123)

There is no doubt however, prayers, good deeds and meditation can be comforting and inspiring, but human exacerbated problems such as famine, plague and war can only be solved through human efforts. May Allah give us the fortitude to face our challenges.

Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend

+2348033110822

Islam

Friday Sermon: Of Justice Equity and Fairness

Published

5 days ago

January 10, 2025

Eric

By Babatunde Jose

Today, Allah, through the Holy Quran speaks to us about the concepts of justice, equity and fairness. It is clear to all discerning observers that Nigeria is one huge crime scene where all manners of evil, wickedness, vice and iniquities converge to rob the people of justice, equity and most importantly fairness in all its ramifications.

Justice is the sum-total, of all recognised rights and duties, as it often consists of nothing more than a balanced implementation of rights and duties, and of due regard for equality and fairness. The Qur’an is emphatic on the objectivity of justice, so much so that it defies any level of relativity and compromise in its basic conception. A perusal of the Quranic evidence on justice leaves one in no doubt that justice is integral to the basic outlook and philosophy of Islam.

Allah (SWT) said in the Holy Quran, Surah Al-Hadid: We sent aforetime Our apostles with Clear signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and wrong), that men may stand forth in justice; and We sent down Iron, in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help, unseen, Him and His apostles: For Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might (and able to enforce His Will). (Quran 57: 25)

There is no gainsaying the fact that the major themes of the Quran include God-consciousness, fairness, equity, justice, equality and balance in all our dealings. These concepts are drummed into the believers every Juma’at service in the form of admonitions where we are enjoined to heed the words of Allah in Surah Al-Nahl : Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you that ye may receive admonition. (Quran 16:90)

It stresses the doing of what is right because it is the truth. As a reflection of Allah’s attributes of Al-’Adl (The Just One) and Al-Muqsit (The Upholder of Equity), we are urged to establish justice and deal with all in a manner that assures equity, fairness and balance and safeguards the rights, property, honour and dignity of all people. God assures us that even though He is All-Powerful and none can challenge His Authority, He deals with all with truth, kindness, justice, and the rights of none will be transgressed on the Day of Judgment.

Allah says in Surah Al Anbia’ Ayah 47: We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it (to account): And enough are We to take account. (Quran 21:47)

The narrow dictionary equivalents for Justice and Equity are the words Insaaf, ‘Adl and Qist. But the words are more comprehensive in their meaning and application. The words ‘Adl and Qist, in their various forms, are used in the Quran about twenty seven times each.

The root meanings of the word ‘Adl include the sense of Justice, Equity, Fairness, Non- Discrimination, Counter-Balance, to Rectify, Put in Order, Evenness, Proportion and the like. When Prophet Muhammad (SAW), said “help the oppressor and the oppressed”, he was stressing this same concept. The Companions responded that they understood what “helping the oppressed” meant, but what did he mean by “helping the oppressor”? He replied, “By preventing the oppressor from oppressing others”. The root meanings of the word Qist include Equity, Fairness, Justice, Fair Distribution, Correctness, Balance, and Scale.

In Surah Al Ma’idah, Ayah 9, it is said that we should stand firmly for Allah as witness to fairness: O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: That is next to Piety: And fear Allah. For Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do. (Quran 5:9)

See also Surah Al Nisa’, Ayah 135: (Quran 4:135) And Shu’ara Ayat 181-184; Surah Al Nahl, Ayah 90. God instructs Prophet Muhammad (SAW), in Surah Al Shurah, Ayah 15: Now then, for that (reason), call (them to the Faith), and stand steadfast as thou art commanded nor follow thou their vain desires; but say: “I believe in the Book which Allah has sent down; and I am commanded to judge justly between you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord. For us (is the responsibility for) our deeds, and for you for your deeds. There is no contention between us and you. Allah will bring us together, and to Him is (our) final goal. (Quran 42:15)

Other aspects of justice referred to in the Quran are the following:

Allah doth command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due; and when ye judge between man and man, that ye judge with justice: Verily how excellent is the teaching which He giveth you! For Allah is He Who heareth and seeth all things. (Quran 4:58)

“And O my people! Give just measure and weight, nor withhold from the people the things that are their due: Commit not evil in the land with intent to do mischief. (Quran 11:85)

O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: For Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do. (Quran 4:135)

To Him will be your return–of all of you. The promise of Allah is true and sure. It is He Who beginneth the process of creation, and repeateth it, that He may reward with justice those who believe and work righteousness; but those who reject Him will have draughts of boiling fluids, and a Penalty grievous, because they did reject Him. (Quran 10:4)

A person’s faith does not become perfect until he observes fairness with respect to himself and others. In exchange, God shall increase his honour and glory. Man, by nature, prefers his own self and loves everything that is associated with him. He also possesses a dislike for everything bad and evil. Similarly, (justice demands that) if he does not desire anything bad and evil for himself, he should not desire it for the others too.

The Quran says: If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess. That will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice. (Quran 4:3)

In one way or the other we are all guilty of some of the injunctions in these ayats, particularly our leaders. It however, applies to all of us. It was once said, that the issues of injustice, unfairness and inequitable dispensation of resources is an all pervasive malaise. From the flinching tramp, the woman who digs for gold, the rich with their insatiable thirst for more, to the legislator, who is the sole beneficiary of his legislations and the executive who corners the people’s commonwealth to feather their own nests, we are all guilty. When justice, equity and fairness departs from a society, that society is finished.

(Saying): “Eat of the good things We have provided for your sustenance, but commit no excess therein, lest My Wrath should justly descend on you: And those on whom descends My Wrath do perish indeed! (Quran 20:81)

May Allah’s wrath not fall on us, Amin!

The New Year deaths continue with the demise of our friend and Aburo, Babatunde Okegbenro popularly called ‘Lakabo’. He died last Saturday 4^th January. We chatted and exchanged New Year greetings and he was in high spirit. May God give strength and fortitude to the wife and children he left behind. Lakabo was 65. May his soul rest in peace. Aku ara feraku.

The New Year was not satisfied, it descended on the house of my Auntie, Alhaja Amuda Fagbo (widow of late Alhaji Saka Fagbo), whisking away her daughter Hamdalat Nana Fagbo, just as this Sermon was going to bed. Inna lilahi wa ina illehi raji’un. May Allah grant Nana Jannatul Firdous.

Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend.

Islam

Friday Sermon: When the Grave Beckons: The Mathematics of Death

Published

2 weeks ago

January 3, 2025

Eric

By Babatunde Jose

“Foolish is the one who shows pride and arrogance on earth due to his wealth, not realizing that none of it will be of use in his grave.”

The New Year 2025 has started rolling and all of us are adding another year to our life here on terra firma. However, we are all inexorably marching closer to our grave. For every minute, hour, day, week, month, and year that we add, there is a corresponding movement towards the grave. Everyman born of a woman must taste death. Quran 3:185 “Every soul shall have a taste of death:”

What lesson do we get from this realization? In the not too distant future, we would leave all our amazing wealth, results of our accumulation and gathering and descend into the grave or rise up to heaven or hell alone without any accompaniments. Remember the gold, ornaments and other worldly goods buried with the Egyptian and Aztec kings, none left the earth with them.

We search the world for the renowned men of old like Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (reigned from 1628 to 1658) who built the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, commissioned in 1632, to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. People don’t even remember him anymore.

With the advance in civilization and the growth of religion, burial and other acts, concern has centered on the Hereafter, retribution, and the possibilities of punishment for our earthly transgressions.

The thinking man has also reflected on his actions and the possible legacies he would leave behind, its enduring nature or the obliteration of all he had worked for in life. There is a constant need to visit these concepts to reassure ourselves that we are walking on the right path and not going in the other direction.

As the years roll by, one day, one after the other, we will take our exit from this earthly plane. What is expected of each human being, where does his path lead him after the sojourn on earth?

The answer to this is exemplified in Ecclesiastes 3, the third chapter of the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The book contains philosophical speeches by a character called ‘Qoheleth’ “the Teacher”; composed probably between the fifth and second centuries BC. Targum, and Talmud attribute the authorship of the book to King Solomon.

The points below are relevant to today’s discourse. The Teacher said:

10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

11 He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

There is no doubt many of us are not intellectually equipped to fathom the questions of death and the beyond. Fortunately, concepts such as inevitability of death and legacy are not too much to understand. However, few understand the importance of legacy in the life of man. Many supposedly rich and great men have had their legacies tarnished and obliterated shortly after their demise. Some even had their life efforts destroyed in their lifetimes by their progenies.

As for the grave, we are told the life of the deceased in the grave is different from his life in this world. It is a special kind of life in al-barzakh (the interval between death and the Day of Resurrection) which is not like life in this world. To this end we often pray for our dead to be spared the punishment of the grave.

A view from the grave: Life in the World Unseen, first published in 1956: The words of an ex-Catholic Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson, who discovered that life after death is completely different to that which he spent his life teaching.

Two important concerns of a good Muslim are his legacy and the grave. There is always the fear that his progeny would obliterate whatever good he has spent his life to build. It is a real and founded fear. May Allah give us children who will preserve our legacies. Amen.

“O Prophet! Truly We have sent thee as a Witness, a Bearer of Glad Tidings, and a Warner, And as one who invites to Allah’s (Grace) by His leave, and as a Lamp spreading Light. (Quran 33:45-46)

The Prophet left a legacy of a political system that was the embodiment of guardianship and care of the people and whose distinctive qualities were justice and accountability in governance as acknowledged by Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

A system fashioned upon the words of Allah in Surah an-Nisa: “O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: For Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do.” (Quran 4:135)

The prophet said: “Each of you is a guardian and each of you is questioned over his subjects, the Imam is responsible over the people and he is questioned over his responsibility.”

Leaders such as Khalifah Umar bin Al Khattab who during the famine in Medina refused to eat anything but coarse food, saying; “If I don’t taste suffering, how can I know the suffering of others?”

Can we say these about our leaders? Do they even understand what it means to leave a legacy of service? Legacy is fundamental to what it is to be human. Being reminded of death is a good thing because death informs life. It gives you a perspective on what is important.

In this New Year, there is a need to realize that for each new hour, new day, new week, and new month, there is a corresponding movement towards the grave. This is the mathematics of death. The grave beckons with the ticking of time. It cannot be halted or reversed.

“I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being; let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” Stephen Grellet 1773–1855

Inna lillah wa ina ilehi rajiun. In one of the first deaths of the New Year, the death occurred last Wednesday 1^st January 2025, of Alhaja Adewale, amiable wife of our brother Alhaji R.O. Adewale, our former National General Secretary of Anwar-ul-Islam Movement of Nigeria. May Allah grant Alhaji Rafiu Adewale, the fortitude to bear the loss. May Allah grant our Alhaja Jannatul Firdous. We will miss her annual catering during the Ramadan Tafsir they host every year.

Barka Juma’at and a happy New Year.

Islam

Friday Sermon: Admonition Before the Crossover

Published

3 weeks ago

December 27, 2024

Eric

By Babatunde Jose

“End of year admonitions” refers to a set of serious warnings or pieces of advice given at the end of a year, often encouraging reflection on past actions, taking stock of personal growth, and making positive changes for the coming year, usually with a focus on spiritual or ethical improvement; essentially, a reminder to use the closing of the year as a time for self-assessment and renewal.

Key elements of end of year admonitions might include: Gratitude and reflection; taking time to appreciate the good things that happened during the year while also acknowledging areas for improvement.

Accountability: Examining personal actions and behaviors to identify areas where one could have acted more responsibly or ethically.

Forgiveness: Letting go of grudges and seeking reconciliation with others.

Setting goals: Establishing clear and achievable objectives for the New Year.

Spiritual renewal: Deepening one’s connection to faith or personal values.

Community engagement: Considering ways to contribute positively to one’s community.

“As we close this year, let us reflect on the relationships we have nurtured and the opportunities we have missed, and commit to strengthening the bonds that truly matter.”

“Let this be a time to forgive past transgressions and open our hearts to new beginnings.”

“Embrace the lessons learned this year and use them to build a stronger foundation for the future.”

“Remember that true wealth lies not just in material possessions but in the connections we make with others.”

“As you set goals for the New Year, prioritize personal growth and meaningful contributions to society.”

Finally, let it be a period of spiritual stocktaking.

Five years ago we gave a New Year admonition which I would like to repeat here:

It is difficult to live in the present, ridiculous to live in the future, and impossible to live in the past. Nothing is as far away as one minute ago.

Faith is life itself: Extract the honey but do not break the hive, so says the sage. Verily, in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest (Quran 13:28). Accept life as it is. Find consolation by remembering the afflicted. Whatever happened last year has gone with that year and we should open a new chapter.

Brooding over last year and its tragedies, is to exhibit a form of insanity — a kind of sickness that destroys resolve to live for the New Year. Let us save ourselves from the ghostly apparition of the past.

It is said that we cannot return the sun to its place of rising, the baby to its mother’s womb, milk to the udder, or tears to the eye. Reading too much into the past is therefore a waste of the present. We should strive to move forward.

“We should not remove the dead from their graves”; neglecting our beautiful castles, we wail over dilapidated buildings. Everything on earth marches forward, preparing for a new season; the river never flows backwards — and so should you. When you wake up in the morning, do not expect to see the evening.

Last year has passed with its good and evil, while tomorrow has not yet arrived. We should resolve to make the best of what life serves us. If life gives you a lemon, add sugar and turn it into lemonade.

There is no doubt our country is on a stormy sea. The tempest has been raging without any let or hindrance and with no rainbow on the horizon. But we are grateful to have witnessed the New Year. Many went to bed on the 31st but never woke up to see the new dawn. We have been to the bottom of the valley and our situation has been worse than the ‘captives in Biblical Babylon’. Yet, we are alive and when there is life there is hope. Albeit, sometimes a hopeless hope.

We have a hope of a better tomorrow. All is not lost. With hard work and perseverance we might yet arrive at the ‘promised land’. We must not lose focus or direction. Yes, our revolution of expectations turned into a revolution of frustrations. But we should not be deterred.

To paraphrase Shaykh ‘ Aaidh al-Qarnee’s admonition in the book Don’t Be Sad: “When there is a violent storm and the seas are turbulent, the occupants of the boat call out, ‘O’ Allah!’ So also when the camel-driver and the caravan are lost in the desert; and when doors are shut before those who seek to enter through them and barriers are placed before those who are in; so also when all plans end in failure, all hope is lost, and the path becomes constricted; also when the earth, vast and wide though it is, is straitened for you, causing your soul to feel constricted, call out,: Gracious is Allah to His servants: He gives Sustenance to whom He pleases: And He has Power and can carry out His Will. (Quran 42: 19)

No doubt the doors to our prosperity are being shut against us by a faction. People who have cornered all the good things Allah has bestowed on the commonwealth. They have pauperized and impoverished the multitude, serving us stones instead of bread and dispossessing people of their cherished possessions. But ‘there is God’:

“He is thought of when kindness, care, relief, affection, and mercy come to mind. He is the Possessor of Majesty, Magnificence, and Might, let comfort take the place of sorrow, make happiness come after sadness, and let safety take the place of fear. He soothe burning hearts with the coolness of faith; give peaceful slumber to the restless and serenity to disturbed souls. He guides the confused ones to His light and those that are astray to His guidance. Allah removes evil whispers from our hearts and replaces them with light, destroys falsehood with truth, and crushes the evil plots of the Devil with His army of Angels.”- Al-Qarnee, Don’t Be Sad.

And He giveth you all that ye ask for. But if ye count the favors of Allah, never will ye be able to number them. Verily, man is given up to injustice and ingratitude. (Quran 14: 34).

We have at our disposal two eyes, a tongue, lips, two hands, and two legs: Then which of the favors of your Lord will ye deny? (Qur’an 55: 13)

Our tormentors should reflect on the following: Can they picture themselves walking without feet? Should they take it lightly that they slumber soundly while misery hinders the sleep of many? Should they forget that while they fill their bellies with both delicious dishes and cool drinks, the pleasure of good food and drink is impossible for the multitude, due to abject poverty, sickness and disease?

Let us as individuals consider the faculties of hearing and seeing with which we have been endowed. Look at our healthy skin and be grateful that we have been saved from diseases that attack it. Reflect on our powers of reasoning and remember those that suffer from mental ailments. Today we are free to roam the world, but there are millions who are inhibited due to poor health and infirmity, let alone those in penitentiary. We need to reflect.

Let us seek forgiveness from our Lord, remember Him, prepare for the final parting from this world, and live happily and at peace. Be content with our sustenance, our wives, our children, our work, our shelter and our life:

“Surely your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established Himself above the Throne, arranging the matter [of His creation]. There is no intercessor except after His permission. That is Allah, your Lord, so worship Him. Then will you not remember? (Quran 10:3)

May we be among the favored; Amen.

As we enter the New Year, let us remember the suffering people of Gaza: It is time to free Palestine! They have run out of white sheets to shroud the dead. Subhanallah!

We should also remember our son Akinola Jose, lying prostrate in his bed in the hospital, victim of a cruel drunken driver. We pray for his speedy recovery. It has been a harrowing end of year for his parents. May Allah grant them succor. Amen

Finally a prayer for turnaround in the health of our daughter, Tinuke Jose. She has been challenged before but 2024 has been the year of ill health; one crisis after the other; in and out of emergency ward, blood change and transfusion and other hematological issues. We pray that Allah will grant her better health this New Year. It is well, even in the well.

“Rabbana la tuzigh quloobana ba’da ith hadaytana wa hab lana milladunka rahmah innaka antal wahhab.”: “Our Lord! Do not let our hearts deviate after you have guided us. Grant us Your mercy. You are indeed the Giver of all bounties. (Quran 3: 8)

Barka Juma’at and a Happy New Year