Get Guardian on GoogleFor four decades, the call to righteousness and communal harmony has found a steadfast anchor in The Criterion (Association of Muslim Women in Business and the Professions).
Founded in 1986 on the enduring Quranic mandate to cooperate in righteousness and piety (Qur’an 5:2), the faith-based organization has announced its landmark 40th anniversary celebration, ‘The Criterion @40,’ themed ‘40 Years of Sisterhood, Faith & Impactful Service.’
What began as a modest gathering of visionary Muslim women in Lagos has blossomed into an international sisterhood spanning the Federal Capital Territory, Kwara, Oyo, and Osun states, as well as branches in Ghana, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Operating across 13 Usrah zones in Lagos alone, the organization continues to embody the higher ideals of Islam through structured welfare, advocacy, and education.
Reflecting on the milestone, the Lagos District Ameerah, Hajia Khadeejah AbdulSalam, noted that four decades of organic growth are a testament to divine favor (Alhamdulillah) and the dedication of women determined to integrate professional excellence with spiritual fidelity.
The Criterion’s social intervention footprints remain visible across several critical sectors: education, youth development, economic empowerment, health and welfare.
The 40th-anniversary calendar blends spiritual reflection with active humanitarian outreach across the Lagos metropolis.
The celebrations kick off with a special virtual interview and podcast series featuring founding members, trustees, and past leadership. Dr. Dhikrat Oshodi, former Lagos Ameerah and current International Naibat-ul Ameerah, will feature as a special guest alongside District Ameerah, Hajia Khadeejah AbdulSalam.
A centralized Jummat thanksgiving service will follow across key designated centers, including the Alausa Central Mosque in Ikeja, the Ikorodu Companion Mosque, and the Lafiaji Mosque in Lekki, the site of an ongoing pet project by the group.
Demonstrating their core mandate of empathy, members will embark on coordinated visitations to healthcare facilities, orphanages, and correctional facilities. Sites slated for outreach include the Special Correctional Centre in Oregun, the Rehabilitation Home in Idi-Araba, Isheri Olofin PHC, Igando General Hospital, LASG Motherless Babies Home in Lekki, and the SOS Orphanage Home in Isolo, alongside educational outreach to LG Primary School, Pakodo.
The celebrations will culminate in a grand centralized rally, health walk, and wellness talk. Members and sister Islamic bodies, including FOMWAN, NASFAT, Al-Muminaat, MSSN, Ansar-Ud-Deen, and NACOMYO, will march from Allen Roundabout to the Alausa Central Mosque for a commemorative theme lecture and reception.
In a statement signed by the District Public Relations Officer, Hajia Aloba Idayah, Esq., the organization reaffirmed its commitment to integrity, competence, and service, welcoming partnerships and support from the wider Muslim Ummah as it embarks on its next chapter of empowering the future.
