Islam

Monday 4th April to Friday 8th April 2022

Monday, April 4th 

Why Ramadan Fast?

Fasting, generally, aims at giving us the opportunity to be in a state of sobriety, whereby one is able to reflect on his or her past activities, to be able to make necessary adjustments in order that adherents of every faith are able to be scripture compliant.

The essence of Ramadan fast, therefore, is to strengthen us into becoming true believers. Ramadan Kareem.

Tuesday, April 5th

Before the Ramadan fats, the 9th month of the Lunar calendar, the two preceding months were Rajab and Sha'ban as the 7th and 8th months of the Lunar calendar respectively.

You clean the body during the month of Rajab, clean the heart during the month of Sha'ban, and clean the spirit during the month of Ramadan.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad teaches us that if you do not clean the body in the month of Rajab and clean the heart in the month of Sha'ban, how can you receive the spirit of inspiration.

Therefore, the month of Rajab is for the forgiveness of sins, and that of Sha'ban for the purification of the heart while Ramadan is for the revival of the spirit.

Be rightly guided. Ramadan Kareem.

Wednesday, April 6th 

Ramadan Fast Symbolises the Fear of God

Mankind is always in a state of chaos with unnecessary burdens on their minds, mainly because they do things without due process or the fear of God.

The Holy Quran 2: 183 emphasizes the purpose of fasting. '' O ye believers! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you. That he may learn self-restraint.

Remember that the Holy Bible ib Proverbs 25 : 28-31, states, ''Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.''

Let the Ramadan fast have a positive and significant impact on you. Ramadan Kareem.

Thursday, April 7th

Observe the Ramadan Fast According to the Rule

Be mindful of what breaks the rule, the law of exemption, and your state of health.

Be guided by the following that breaks your fast :

1) Drinking and eating during the day.

2)Engaging the sexual intercourse during the day.

3) Breaking the fats with alcohol.

4) The use of abusive words and curses.

5)Backbiting.

6)Adultery or fornication.

7) All forms of body contact during the day could be described as immoral.

8)Slander.

The law of exemption spreads around aging factors, gestation period, and breastfeeding period.

 The category of believers that would repay the missed ones ranges as follows :

1)Women under menstruation.

2) Sickly people.

3)Travelers who cannot bear the rigors of fasting over a long distance.

 Be equally reminded that people with terminal diseases will not only repay but will be totally exempted.

Be guided by the Holy Quran: 184-185,''184[Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excess - it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew.''

''185 The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you, and perhaps you will be grateful.''

Ramadan Kareem.

Friday, April 8th

Every program is run through a curriculum for guide. So also every subject for the teacher and the learners not to derail from the behavioral objectives of the course of study.

The Ramadan fast period is a training session of between 29 to 30 days for all mankind in general and Islamic adherents in particular. 

Nafl fasts: Nafl means extra, which is not obligatory. But it is voluntary or optional. Nafl is not required by Allah (SWT). Muslims are not sinful for neglecting Nafl, but they are rewarded for doing it.

'Taraweeh' prayers are performed after Isha (night prayer) during Ramadan, a month when faithful Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. The prayers involve reading long portions of the Qur'an, as well as performing many rakahs.

Iftar, also known as futoor (from فطور, fuṭūr, 'breakfast'), is the evening meal with which Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset. They break their fast at the time of the call to prayer for the evening prayer.

Suhoor, known as the pre-dawn meal in English is a significant element for Muslims during Ramadan. It is the last meal before the sun rises and the day of fasting begins.

Tilawaltul-The Quran says: “You who believe, fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may be mindful of God.” In Medina, the Prophet also found a large monotheistic community that fasted as an act of piety.

Sadaqa Al-Fitr (also known as Zakatul-Fitr) is a charitable donation that is commonly made by Muslims before the holiday (Eid) prayers at the end of Ramadan. This donation is traditionally a small amount of food, which is separate and additional to the annual payment of Zakat, which is one of the pillars of Islam.

Zakat al-Fitr, or the Zakat of Breaking the Fast of Ramadan, is the special obligatory alms paid by all Muslims at the end of the Ramadan fasting month.

It is also called Sadaqat al-Fitr, “the Charity of Breaking the Fast” of Ramadan, and Zakat al-Fitrah, the Alms of Human Nature, or the Human Creation, because it is a mandatory charity due on every Muslim at the end of Ramadan, regardless of age or gender.

Its obligatory payment is termed fitrah, derived from the Arabic term fitr, a word which signifies the “nature” upon which God created the human being, related also to the Arabic word for “fast-breaking” (iftar), eating after a period of abstention from this “natural” and defining human activity.

We Muslims on the day of Eid gather in large open spaces in sunlight for special prayers, these pray are specifically for Eid and are called Salat- ul-Eid. Salat in Arabic stands for what we call communication or communication with God, which is prayer.

Remember to go for TafsirulQuran, which is the in-depth analysis of the Holy Quran(detailed explanation and circumstances surrounding revelations).

Ramadan Kareem.

Saturday 9th May 2020

The significance of prayer is best thought and understood during Ramadan fasting session. Prayer itself is a bridge builder between man and God. It is the most powerful communication tool that easily transmits the divine energy from God to man, when articulated through a profile body free of sins and crimes and a preserved soul that is free of evil thoughts. These two factors are fundamental basic requirements for man/God cordial relationship.

However, even among the religious people of the world these conditions are trivialized if not neglected, making them to be mere hypocrites with empty boasts about God.

This is equally responsible for the poor state of piety in the land. Let us learn correctly how to be scripture compliant. Ramadan Kareem.

Sunday 10th May

Prayer efficacy has three modes before supplicants can be rest assured of divine acceptance. Meditation allows for reflections into the past activities for possible amendments into the weak areas. It allows esoteric voyage into self reality and exploration into the impact of the environment.

The next one is sermon that appeals to the soul, admonition the body to heal the diseases of the heart in order that one is readily guided through the mercy of God.

Counseling is the third module to perfect translated ideas into suiting the realities of life to be one of example in the odd world of confusion.

Learn to be just in your prayer as a sincere worshiper to be successful in life. Ramadan Kareem.

Monday 11th May

Be reminded that only the prayer of the just would be energized into meeting up with the purpose of desire for which an individual is tendering his request to God(James 5 : 16).

In His declaration the almighty Allah asserted ‘’to him is due the true prayer of those without faith is nothing but vain prayer. ’’(Quaran 13 : 14).

In this category of faithless worship, even the majority of the worshipers in all religions find themselves.

Derisively on this, the almighty Allah said ‘’any other media called upon besides Allah, hear them, know more than if they were to stretch forth their hands for water to reach their mouths.

It would not be possible for water to reach them as it would be easier for water to climb a mountain from the ground floor. Let us be people of full understanding, otherwise we may remain ungrateful to God for life. Ramadan Kareem.

Tuesday 12th May

Computer programming for efficacy can be likened to the stand of God in Isaiah 41 : 17–18, ‘’the poor and needy people look for water, but they can’t find any, they are thirsty. Their tongues are very dry. I will not leave them and let them die. I will make rivers flow on dry hill. I will make springs of water flow through the valley. I will change the desert into a lake filled with water. There would be spring of water in that dry land.’’

These undoubtedly would be the foot of just worship.

The computer programming format of the above lies in Quaran 2 : 186.

1. Prepared people of God in high state of piety.
2. Worried souls consult trusted and tested clerics.
3. God the almighty Allah shows mercy through the counseling guide of the cleric.
4. Requirement from God to answer prayer request in sincerity of purpose and just worship.
5. Once item number is satisfied the prayer is answered without hitch of barrier.
6. Manifestation of God shows divine intervention in the supplicant’s life. Let us follow this to live a just and self fulfilled life. Ramadan Kareem.

Wednesday 13th May

Two things need to amaze using Nigeria as an example. In the 21st century, Government is still discovering the poorest of the poor, demanding like Almajiri beggars for COVID 19 monetary support from individuals whose source of money are never known or attested to.

The second awe is that the divine intervention is left aside by Government in tackling the COIVD 19 pandemic. This may be as a result of the fact that no qualified cleric using the quality and standard measurement of God can be identified or found around.

Jonah saved his nation, Nineveh. Prophet Mohammed founded a new Saudi Arabia and better strategic world order through the rules of law and promotion of God/man relationship.

Jesus Christ counseled and healed all with no economic costs attached while at the same time leaving behind a legacy of peace and the promotion of good God/man relationship.

Nigeria’s clerics can source their strengths from all these by been scripture compliant as role models on the issue of connecting every individual, as a free born, with his or her creator.

For the nation to be able to enjoy free divine intervention let us therefore realize that to seek the glory of God, we must believe that all prayers belong to Him. To Him we mount up all words of purity e call prayers, but avoid trivializing it into mere wishful thinking. Be reminded that God will require a high level of state of piety from an individual before entertaining your requests. or crowning it with success. Remember that an individual will be faced with a lot of resistances from the people of the underworld, including the principalities of darkness. We cannot therefore, allow recess of divine strength, so as not to be punctured by the nails of wicked people on earth. God is able. Ramadan Mubarak.

Prof. Sabitu Olagoke

Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide,Wakajaiye, Ibadan, Nigeria

Nigerians insist that religious leaders and institutions have not done enough for those who eventually emerged to contest of political offices for several years, this has become a source of worry for the electorate, who believe that their votes have never counted in most elections. In this interview with Federationews2day, the Spiritual head and Founder of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke advises religious leaders to refrain from distributing loot of the affected political office holders among their congregation, in a bid to seek divine favour. Excerpts :

How do you think religious leaders and institutions can ensure the emergence of credible candidates in the 2019 Presidential elections?

First and foremost, Nigeria has a fundamental problem, with respect to the issue of religion. They fail to realize that all religions are working towards the same aims and objectives, one, to educate and enlighten into self realization for the necessary reform into the state of piety and integrity, two, to ensure that adherents have tranquility of mind, three, to promote peaceful co-existence, in order that the community or society enjoys  high level of security.

Religion therefore, is to work on every individual, irrespective  of ethnic or religious differences, to be credible enough to hold in trust, positions of responsibility and power, in order to serve God, through beneficial service to humanity.

However, in Nigeria, religious institutions celebrate profanity, in place of sacredness and hence, fail to produce credible candidates for the purpose of transformation of the society.

With this poor background of Nigeria's religious people, there is no way that they can perform the role of an umpire, whereby, religious leaders, would be able to see themselves as true Fathers of political leaders and true advisers for  correct political practices, that would be Scripture compliant and enjoy the favour of God, through the benefit of uninterrupted divine intervention into human affairs-social, economic, political- for the purpose of achieving, in the areas of the clarion call by the United Nations, of the essence of establishing and promoting sustainable development.

To worsen the case, the Federal Government till date, have been superintending a dysfunctional educational system, which has promoted half baked graduates, which is very glaring for all to see. Observe political office holders and Technocrats, in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, institutional indiscipline and corruption that  are the order of the day.

For the purpose of the fast approaching 2019 general elections,religious leaders must refrain from sharing the loot, stolen by politicians, to derisively , seek the favour of God.

We must all realize the golden advice of Nelson Mandela, that religious leaders need to face the reality of the situation, that no politician is either  a good Muslim or Christian in Nigeria. They believe in sourcing for power from gods and goddesses, but always deceive the innocent masses through religion by propaganda, in order to rule over them.

If  truly Nigeria's religious leaders are working for God, they must join the bandwagon of advocates for promotion of functional education and necessary empowerment processes for our youth, who are  future leaders and  expected to be able to turn around the system of poor governance into that of people oriented and positive political governance, that would  have the very necessary positive impact on the lives of the people. Take not of the fact, that the same people who attend religious houses are the same people, we have in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, in Government, in the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) and the society at large.

Mosques and Churches must refrain from religious propaganda of prosperity, that has led many Nigerians into the world of magic for quick money making ventures, ritual killings, kidnapping and several others, but instead, we must all be role models, as religious leaders, running functional Churches and Mosques, to reform adherents, into scripture compliance, for the purpose of having credible leaders with integrity, who will be able to administer a corruption free society.

For the 2019 general elections, the roles of the Churches, Mosques and other faith based organizations, is to stand by the  truth and the Scripture, to be able to be credible enough, to give  advice which will have the desired impact, as well as to have  their prayer requests for a free and fair  elections to hold.

This is the message of God from Koran 13 : 14 and the Bible James 5 : 16

The Founder and Spiritual Head of Shafaudeen In Islam Worldwide, Wakajaiye, Ibadan, Nigeria, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke has charged religious leaders in Nigeria to make use of religion as a weapon of integration, unification and reformation during and after the Ramadan fast.

Prof. Olagoke gave this charge in a chat with Federationews2day.

''An area of challenge for clerics, we must use religion as a weapon to integrate, not disintegrate, to unify and to reform, in the atmosphere where the people who have must support the cause of clerics, because to reach out to millions of people, the media is essential.''

''Ramadan  fast is to reform, restrengthen and do things the right way. Our elites must come in, everywhere, we see people who have and those who do not have. We must be our brother's keeper,'' Prof. Olagoke advised