Easter is one of the principal holidays, or feasts, of Christianity. Easter, also known as Pascha or Resurrection Sunday, is a central Christian celebration that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This event, described in the New Testament, is believed to have occurred on the third day after Jesus’ burial following his crucifixion by the Romans around 30 AD. Easter marks the culmination of Jesus’ Passion, a series of events  including his entry into Jerusalem, Last Supper, and crucifixion. It is preceded by Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and reflection.

In 325 the Council of Nicaea (convened by the Roman Emperor Constantine) decreed that Easter should be observed on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox (March 21). Eastern Orthodox churches use a slightly different calculation based on the Julian calendar. As a result, the Orthodox Easter celebration usually occurs later than that of Roman Catholics and Protestants.

At its most basic, Christianity is the faith tradition that focuses on the figure of Jesus Christ. That is to say that somehow it brings together its beliefs and practices and other traditions in reference to a historical figure.

While there is something simple about this focus on Jesus as the central figure, there is also something very complicated. That complexity is revealed by the thousands of separate churches, sects, and denominations that make up the modern Christian tradition.

Modern scholars have located the focus of this faith tradition in the context of monotheistic religions. Christianity addresses the historical figure of Jesus Christ against the background of, and while seeking to remain faithful to, the experience of one God. It has consistently rejected polytheism and atheism.

Christianity is based on a particular experience or scheme directed to the act of saving or redemption. The agent of that redemption is Jesus Christ.

It is possible that through the centuries the vast majority of believers have not used the term essence to describe the central focus of their faith. However, Jesus Christ belongs to the essential character of Christianity and gives it a unique identity.

Jesus and the earliest members of the Christian faith tradition were Jews, and thus they stood in the faith tradition inherited by Hebrew people in Israel and the lands of the Diaspora. They were monotheists, devoted to the God of Israel. When they claimed that Jesus was divine, they had to do so in ways that would not challenge monotheism or lead them to the periphery of atheism.

Insofar as they began to separate or be separated from Judaism, which did not accept Jesus as the Messiah, the earliest Christians expressed certain ideas about the one on whom their faith focused. As with other religious people, they became involved in a search for truth. God, in the very nature of things, was necessarily the final truth. In a reference preserved in the Gospel According to John, however, Jesus refers to himself not only as “the way” and “the life” but also as “the truth.” Roughly, this meant “all the reality there is” and was a reference to Jesus’ participation in the reality of the one God.

From the beginning there were Christians who may not have seen Jesus as the truth or as a unique participant in the reality of God. There have been “humanist” devotees of Jesus, modernist adapters of the truth about the Christ, but even in the act of adapting him to humanist concepts in their day they have contributed to the debate of the essence of Christianity and brought it back to the issues of monotheism and a way of salvation.

It has been suggested that the best way to preserve the essence of Christianity is to look at the earliest documents—the four Gospels and the letters that make up much of the New Testament—which contain the best account of what the earliest Christians remembered, taught, or believed about Jesus Christ.

It is presumed that “the simple Jesus” and the “primitive faith” emerge from these documents as the core of the essence. This view has been challenged, however, by the view that the writings that make up the New Testament themselves reflect Jewish and Greek ways of thinking about Jesus and God.

They are seen through the experience of different personalities, such as St. Paul the Apostle or the nameless composers—traditionally identified as St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John—of documents that came to be edited as the Gospels.

Indeed, there are not only diverse ways of worship, of polity or governance of the Christian community, and of behavior pictured or prescribed in the New Testament but also diverse theologies, or interpretations of the heart of the faith. Most believers see these diversities as complementing each other and leave to scholars the argument that the primal documents may compete with and even contradict each other.

Yet there is a core of ideas that all New Testament scholars and believers would agree are central to ancient Christian beliefs. That is to say, there would have been no faith tradition and no scriptures had not the early believers thought that Jesus was “Risen,” raised from the dead, and, “Ascended,” somehow above the ordinary plane of mortal and temporal experience. From that simple assertion early Christians could begin to complicate the search for essence.

Fixing the date on which the Resurrection of Jesus was to be observed and celebrated triggered a major controversy in early Christianity. The Paschal controversies refer to disputes in the Church regarding the correct date for observing Easter. These controversies arose due to conflicting insistence on the date of the Holy Supper between the Eastern and Western churches.It was not definitively resolved until the 8th century.

The earliest Christians observed Easter in conjunction with Passover. Over time, the resurrection gained prominence as the focal point of the celebration.

The Quartodeciman controversy arose in the 2nd century over whether Easter should be celebrated on Passover or the following Sunday. The Council of Nicaea resolved this by standardizing the Sunday observance. The Council of Nicaea in 325 decreed that Easter should be observed on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox (March 21). Easter, therefore, can fall on any Sunday between March 22 and April 25.

Eastern Orthodox churches use a slightly different calculation based on the Julian rather than the Gregorian calendar (which is 13 days ahead of the former), with the result that the Orthodox Easter celebration usually occurs later than that celebrated by Protestants and Roman Catholics. Moreover, the Orthodox tradition prohibits Easter from being celebrated before or at the same time as Passover. Easter is closely linked to the Jewish Passover, both in timing and symbolism. The Last Supper, which Jesus shared with his disciples, is believed to have been a Passover meal.

In the Christian calendar, Easter follows Lent, the period of 40 days (not counting Sundays) before Easter, which traditionally is observed by acts of penance and fasting.

Liturgically, Easter comes after the Great Vigil, which was originally observed sometime between sunset on Easter Saturday and sunrise on Easter Sunday.

By the 4th century the Easter vigil was well established in various liturgical expressions. It was characterized by a spirit of joyful anticipation of the Resurrection and—because of the belief that Jesus’ Second Coming would occur on Easter. In the Roman Catholic tradition the vigil has four parts: the celebration of lights focused on the Paschal candle; the service of lessons called the prophecies; the administration of the sacraments of baptism and confirmation to adult converts; and the Easter mass.

All Christian traditions have their own special liturgical emphases for Easter. It is this simple assertion of the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus that is being celebrated this Good Friday through Easter Sunday.

It is significant for the Christian faith considering: 1 Corinthians 15:14 states, “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain” (KJV). In the New International Version, it reads, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith”. This verse emphasizes the centrality of the resurrection in Christian faith.

However, there are more questions left unanswered by this Easter conundrum when viewed from the Islamic perspective. The whole issue of Prophet Isa as he is known in Islam begs many questions especially from his birth, infancy, ministry, down to his perceived death and resurrection and ascension.

As to his death, we read in the Quran: That they said (in boast), “We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah”;- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not: (Quran 4:157)

There are also historical, non-scriptural works concerning the dramatis personae in the Jesus story that lend credence to the Islamic view especially stories of the migration of many of Jesus’ people to Asia Minor and ending in the coast of Scotland. But, the most dramatic of the stories is that of conjectures that Jesus ended up in Kashmir during his trail of the ‘lost sheep’ of Israel. Here it is said that Jesus spent the remaining part of his life where he died and buried in the town of Srinagar, where his tomb is, till this day. Subhanallah!!!

We wish our Christian brothers and sisters a Happy Easter.

Barka Juma’at and a happy holiday.

By Babatunde Jose

Positive deviance is a behavioral and social change approach that identifies and learns from individuals or groups who have better solutions to problems than their peers. It is based on the observation that in every community there are certain uncommon but successful behaviors or strategies that enable them to overcome similar challenges, constraints, and resource deprivations. Positive deviance is based on the idea that within any community, some individuals or groups find better solutions to problems than their peers, despite facing similar constraints.

Positive deviance is a community-driven approach to problem-solving that identifies and shares successful, yet uncommon, behaviors and strategies that enable individuals or groups to overcome challenges, even with limited resources.

These “positive deviants” are individuals or groups whose uncommon behaviors or strategies lead to positive outcomes. It is based on the idea that, within a community, some individuals engage in unusual behaviors allowing them to solve problems better than others who face similar challenges, despite not having additional resources or knowledge.

Positive deviance is moving away from the norm without an intention to do harm or break the rules, actions are within the rules of the game and are simply in an attempt to win, and their deviance from the norm is seen in a positive light.

The approach focuses on identifying, understanding, and sharing these successful strategies to promote wider adoption and improve outcomes.

Among the qualities of the positive deviant are: Creativity, the ability to form novel and valuable ideas or work using one’s imagination. Thinking about a task or problem in a novel way and using the imagination to generate new ideas.

In sociology, deviance can range from serious crimes like murder to less severe behaviors like talking loudly in a movie theater. It can also involve rejecting social norms or expectations, such as atheism or anarchism.

Formal deviance involves actions that violate codified laws or regulations. Informal deviance involves actions that violate unwritten social norms or expectations.

Sociologists view deviance as a social construct, meaning that what is considered deviant varies across different cultures, time periods, and social contexts.

Sociological Theories of Deviance include Functionalist perspective where deviance is seen as a necessary part of society, as it helps to define social boundaries and reinforce norms.

There is also Symbolic interactionism: This perspective emphasizes the role of social interactions and meanings in defining deviance.

Conflict theory: This perspective suggests that deviance is often a result of power struggles and inequalities within society.

There is also the individuality of the deviant and the tendency to create and invent. He is a non-conformist and invariably tends to think outside the box. But most importantly, he harbours a rebellious motivational streak.

Positive deviance therefore, refers to when people break norms to achieve constructive results. They are the ones who think and behave differently, leading to excellence.

Émile Durkheim 1858-1917, the French sociologist believed that deviance is a necessary part of a successful society and that it serves three functions: 1) it clarifies norms and increases conformity, 2) it strengthens social bonds among the people reacting to the deviant, and 3) it can help lead to positive social change and challenges to people’s present views.

Deviance was first clearly defined by Edwin M. Lemert who proposed the concept of primary and secondary deviance in his 1951 and 1967 books. Primary deviance is a single norm violation that causes no long-term consequences. Since then, the term has been defined in various ways and is still commonly used in fields such as criminology and sociology. With respect to criminology, deviance occurs when someone engages in conduct that is against norms, values, or laws.

What is the main characteristic of positive deviance? Positive Deviance – encompasses behavior that over conforms to social expectations. Positive deviants conform to norms in an unbalanced way. Positive deviance provides a positive culture change, which overall affects what is considered normal in a society.

Durkheim argues that even in a “society of saints” there would still be deviance. In other words, as deviance describes any behaviour that goes against the norms, values and expectations of a society, all societies have deviance, even though the sorts of behaviour considered deviant might vary from society to society.

I met the subject of this discourse, Baba Oba Oladele Fajemirokun three scores and five years ago and in an unbroken relationship that has spanned primary schooling in Ikenne, secondary schooling in Ibadan and universities in Ibadan and Ife and our youthful peccadilloes in Apapa and Ikoyi, he has not changed his nomenclature. Because of his non-conformist behavior, my father gave him the sobriquet ‘Dele Times, Dele Trouble’.

He would carryhis deviance to secondary school where he earned expulsion in form 4, only for his father to intercede with the school authorities who permitted him to attend school as a day-student from 8am to 2pm after which he must vacate the premises.

The positive deviant “decided to sit for only six papers in the West African School Certificate (WASC) examination, as against the conventional practice of sitting for eight subjects. This was a dangerous gamble; a fail in any subject meant a fail in all of them. 

But I was undaunted. Just like most of the risks that I take in life, I never thought about the consequences. I had decided; and that was that. Of course, I passed my School Certificate with a Grade 1, but my classmate and friend, who had copied my audacity, paid a huge price. He failed and had to go on to Igbobi College to re-sit his exam. I was an early bad influence on his life. He is today a successful legal practitioner..”— The Making of Me. His father now added a moniker, ‘suicidal’ to his already bad name.

This ‘bad penny’ will later transmute into an ‘angel investor, entrepreneur and a boardroom Samurai who some of the younger fellow directors would later refer to as the’ Oracle’.

Writing about himself in his epic book, The Making of Me: “I developed a survivalist spirit very early on in life as a result of the special upbringing my father gave me; something that he did not do for the other children. All my life I have been a survivalist – a fighter – and this has been the hallmark of my existence. I have fought for everything I have done. I have won many battles and have lost some too. But, on the whole, life has been kind to me. Despite the unconventional life that I have lived, I have been blessed, and my children too. I have prospered where many have failed. I have been able to wine and dine with kings where others have wallowed in penury. I have trodden where angels fear to tread. I have been very tenacious and forthright in all my dealings with my fellow men. I have tried all my life to channel my energy into building a good name for myself and, above all, to maintain my family’s honour. I am a ‘positively deviant’ son of my parents.”

At 75, Oladele Fajemirokun has sheathed his sword; age and time have mellowed him. He had gone ‘from the valley to the mountaintop‘ in his health challenge a few years ago, which had opened his eyes to the magnificence of the living God.

 And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient. (Quran 2:155)

Blessed with eight children comprising seven married girls and the only boy in the pack also married, all with children, Del Faj has a full house of grandchildren. It is possible, he would be the first among us to be a great-grandfather; what a grace from God.

Today, the sprawling edifice of Onikoyi has shrunk in living space; from room to the pool and whirlpool and back to the room, bypassing the sitting rooms and the cold room with its state of the art Bang&Olufsen designed television, with its open and close speakers. This is what we all become at 75. Nothingmore to prove and to offer attraction again. We have moved into the twilight of life. The old warriors have left the battlefield for the next generation. We have fought a good fight and are now having a deserved rest till when our boarding will be called. Allah knows best.

May the good Lord bless us with good health and good children to carry on our legacy. Not many are given that grace. We pray to Allah to give us Jannatul Firdous in this world and in the Hereafter; bless us, bless our children and our children’s children. Ameen.

Dele, Ekeji mi, here is wishing you a happy 75^th come Wednesday 16^th April 2025.

Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend

It’s no longer news that the month of Ramadan has come and gone. Ramadan is a special period in which we ascertain the uniqueness of Allah to attain consciousness through connection with him. It’s an opportunity for you to build a personal relationship with Allah and continue on the journey even beyond Ramadan. This is why the verse that enjoined fasting upon the believers concluded by stating that: the goal is to attain piety.

So in order to keep up our faith after Ramadan, we have to embark upon a spiritual journey. This expedition is one which drives us toward building a lasting relationship with Allah. It requires three key components: commitment, consistency, and patience. Commitment because the goal is worth the struggle. Consistency is a key practice towards attaining excellence in anything. And patience is required because you will falter out of your imperfection, therefore never give up.

The factors that will push you toward building a relationship with Allah are the fear of Allah, hope in Allah, and the love of Allah. The ‘Love of Allah’, is an abiding love that lasts for eternity; the fear of Allah only takes you to the gate of Aljannah and the hope ends the moment you see the face of your Lord which is the greatest pleasure for the people in Jannah.

The love of Allah is the most important motivator and driving force. It’s through this  you can build a personal relationship with God. The love of Allah gives meaning to eeman, motivates your limbs, and gives you hope of earning His love in return.

So where does this all begin? It’s in the heart. A heart that connects to Allah will demonstrate unshakeable  firmness. It wouldn’t sway to give up good deeds and return to evil even when Ramadan is gone. This is why the Prophet (SAW) said:

…beware there lies within the body a piece of flesh. If it is sound, the whole body is sound. And if it is corrupted, the whole body is corrupted. Verily, this piece is the heart. — Muslim

There are several ways we can keep Ramadan habits alive: It may be impossible to perform good deeds at the level of Ramadan after the month is over. But even if you are able to continue a fraction of them after Eid, it is a good indication that Ramadan had a positive effect on you and that Allah accepted your fasts.

If you missed any fasts in Ramadan due to illness or travelling, make up for them whenever possible. Allah says in the Quran:  “So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later.” (Quran 2:185)

During Ramadan, we spend hours standing before Allah in Taraweeh, Tahajjud, Salatul Duha, and other voluntary prayers. Even though we might not be able to do it throughout the year, we should pray Nafl prayers whenever we can. If you are busy and can’t spend enough time in prayers, at least do not miss the 12 Sunnah prayers daily. Prophet (SAW) said:

“Whoever is regular with twelve Rak’ah of Sunnah (prayer), Allah will build a house for him in Paradise: Four Rak’ah before Zuhr, two Rak’ah after it, two Rak’ah after Maghrib, two Rak’ah after Isha, and two Rak’ah before Fajr.” [Jami at Tirmidhi: 414]

It’s recommended to keep voluntary fasting throughout the year as much as you can. It includes fasting in Shawwal, fasting in Ashura, fasting in Dhul Hijjah, especially on Arafah day, etc. You can also keep fasting on white days- 13, 14, 15 of each lunar month, fasting on Monday and Thursday each week, and more.

During Ramadan, most of us develop the habit of praying Tahajjud prayers before Sehri. It serves as a great tool for believers to stay on the right path throughout their entire lives. We should keep the practice of praying Tahajjud to maintain the spirit of Ramadan throughout the year. Allah says in the Quran:

“Truly the rising by night is the most potent for governing (the soul), and most suitable for (framing) the Word (of Prayer and Praise).”  (Quran 73:6)

We all know that Ramadan is the month when the glorious Quran was revealed. We recite the Word of Allah a lot during this month. Some of us even do Quran Khatam;  the practice of completing the recitation of the entire Quran during this month. That is all great. But what is the purpose of the Quran’s revelation? Is it so that we recite it only during Ramadan and let dust build up for the rest of the year? Allah says in the Quran:

Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Koran, as a guide to mankind, also Clear (Signs) for guidance and judgement (between right and wrong). (Quran 2:185)

There is no alternative to reciting the Quran regularly. Usually, we develop the habit of reciting the Quran consistently every day during Ramadan. This habit should be a part of our daily lives. We should set a particular time of the day and dedicate it to the recitation of the Quran.

During Ramadan, especially during I’tikaf, many of us develop the habit of reading Islamic books like Seerah, Aqidah, Tafsir, and more. We should continue this good habit.

Don’t miss your daily adhkars after Ramadan. They gain us protection, mercy, forgiveness, blessings, and all the goodness of this world and the Hereafter. Since we tend to say them more often during Ramadan, we need to carry this habit forward after Ramadan as well.

The virtues of giving Sadaqah are many. It gains us Allah’s forgiveness and erases His anger towards us. Sadaqah during Ramadan is special because rewards are multiplied many times. That’s why many people opt to pay their Zakat and Sadaqah during this blessed month. But this habit needs to continue after Ramadan. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “Every day two angels come down from Heaven and one of them says, ‘O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your Cause,’ and the other (angel) says, ‘O Allah! Destroy every miser.’ ” [Sahih Al Bukhari: 1442]

One of the most important aspects of Ramadan is to restrain oneself from ill speeches and actions. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “Whoever does not leave false speech, and acts according to it, then Allah is not in any need of him leaving his food and his drink.” [Jami At Tirmidhi: 707]

During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from minor and major vices to preserve the month’s holiness. Nonetheless, do we protect the sanctity of any other month besides Ramadan from sins and vices? Does a person who refrain from slander resume the practice after Ramadan?

If you plan on committing sins after Ramadan, think again. K’ab bin Malik (R) said: “Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan and says to himself that he will return to sinful disobedience when Ramadan is over, his fasting is rejected.” [Lataif al Ma’arif: 1/222]

If we return to our same old ways before Ramadan, our fast has been in vain. Thus, we must say goodbye to the ways of sins after Ramadan.

No doubt our leaders return to the old ways. As we speak, they are back in conclave, planning new heists and strategizing on robbing the national exchequer. It is a habit that dies hard.

Qiyamullail (literally means standing in the night), refers to voluntary prayers performed between Isha’i and fajr prayers; it is one of God’s most beloved sunnah practices, performed by His servants. This worship is sunnah throughout the year.

During Ramadan, the mosque is filled during Tarawih or night prayers. The question is whether Qiyamullail practice ends with the end of Ramadan or whether it will be continued? The Qiyam prayer begins following Isha’i and continues until dawn. We should try and continue this practice after Ramadan as it is very rewarding.

Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala sends Ramadan every year so that we can become righteous. It does not come as a ritual or festival, rather, It arrives as a life changer. Thus, we must continue doing good deeds after the blessed month has passed. We must stay on the path of righteousness and away from evil ones. May Allah give us Tawfiq.

Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend