Eid-el-fitr: Muslim clerics highlight Ramadan lessons, call for moral tenacity

As Muslim faithful in Nigeria join other devotees across the world to celebrate Eid-el-fitr this week, Muslim clerics have urged adherents to imbibe Ramadan lessons in their lives and national lives. The clerics said the only way to sustain the gains is to allow the lessons learnt during the period to seriously impact in their day-to-day life.

Those who spoke to The Guardian include the Amir Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Nigeria, Alhaji Alatoye Folorunso Azeez; Rivers State Islamic Leader/Vice President-General, Rivers State Council for Islamic Affairs and Chairman, Association of South-South Muslim Ummah of Nigeria, Alhaj (Amb) Nasir Awhelebe Uhor; Chief Imam of University of Lagos (UNILAG) Muslim Community, Prof. Ismail Musa; and Prof. Lai Olurode.

Alhaji Alatoye Folorunso Azeez, who glorified Allah for the grace to observe the fasting thus far, recalled some of the key lessons learnt, especially self-reformation and reformation of others, which he said are the highest level of discipline. He described Islamic Eid as both a season of joy, jubilation and a time of gratitude, reflection, contemplation and resolution.

Recalling one of the sayings of the Supreme Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, worldwide, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba), in his 2022 Eid-el-Fitr sermon, who said, “on this day, we ought to make a vow that we will continuously strive to fulfill the rights of Allah, the Almighty, along with the rights of His creation,” Azeez noted that Allah, the Almighty, has drawn our attention towards these rights at numerous instances in the Holy Qur’an.

Still on the teachings of the season, he noted that, if we make any pledge on this day of Eid, we should be focused on fulfilling it and also to make this an integral part of our lives, adding that it is then we shall attain the objective of Ramadan and also become among those who fulfill the true purpose of celebrating Eid.

To sustain the spiritual exercise, Azeez said: “It is expected that the true Islamic mood of Eid-ul-fitr should activate in us the affirmative action to maintain and sustain the reformative and transformative spiritual exercises and lessons and the moral and ethical values of Ramadan.

He called on Muslim to shun all forms of immoralities and crime such as fraud, corrupt practices, banditry, kidnapping, among others, in all of our actions, reactions, interactions and transactions.

He said: “We must continue to uphold these values as we move on. Such moral tenacity and continuity resonate with the Prophetic standard. As HazratA’ishah (ra) narrated that: ‘When the Messenger of Allah (Saw) performs a righteous act, he would make it a regular and established practice,’ (Sahih Muslim).

Azeez urged the political elite to uphold Ramadan virtues, adhere to the requirements of justice, equity, accountability, self-restraint, incorruptibility and transparency in their administration of the nation’s wealth, people, power and politics, as well as in their formulation and implementation of government policies, plans and programmes for the betterment, prosperity, peace and development of the country and its citizens.

Disclosing that many Nigerians are going through economic hardship in various forms, he called the political leaders to share in the pains and hardships by eschewing ostentatious lifestyles.

He said: “Cost of governance must be reduced to its barest minimum and the made in Nigeria goods must be patronised by all. The political class ‘must walk the talk,’ of making Nigeria great.

“Again, as His holiness has reminded us, on the occasion of Eid, we must generally show concern and pray for the world, rather than simply being content with our own happiness. Happenings around us show that the world is heading towards destruction, which should be the concern of us because it is also our duty to save mankind. All these things are happening (in the world) because the requirements of justice are not met and due regard is not given to the rights of others.”

Nasir Awhelebe Uhor called on Muslims to lead the crusade to enthrone virtues that will redeem the country. According to him, “Muslims are privileged to have divine Codes of Conduct (the Noble Quran and the Holy Prophet’s Hadith (sayings and actions) with which to successfully tackle the various challenges burdening the country including, but not limited to corruption, abject poverty, insecurity and bad governance.”

He decried that Muslims lacked the will to subject themselves to the dictate of the lessons of the Ramadan fast, and thereafter, extend the crusade to other segments of the society.

“What is grossly lacking among Muslims is the will to subject self to the dictates of the lessons of the Ramadan fast, and thereafter, extend the crusade to other segments of the society. The argument of the abiding lessons of the Ramadan fast is simple: fixing the seemingly impossible challenges facing the country is not rocket science after all!” he said.

Uhor identified one of the great teachings of Ramadan fast as the strengthening and renewal of pristine, absolute and unwavering faith in Allah, The Creator and Sustainer of all that exist in both the universe and heaven, seen and unseen.

He said with such undiluted faith, believers are then primed or programmed to obey without question or hesitation all the laws of Allah, adding that this can be seen in the lives of His Prophets down the millennia.

Uhor called on Muslims to rescue the country and save themselves from the scourge of self-inflicted poverty, insecurity and retrogression by enthroning the virtues instilled by Ramadan and returning to Allah’s holy book (Al-Quran) and follow the guidance therein.

The Chief Imam of University of Lagos (UNILAG) Muslim Community, Prof. Ismail Musa called on Muslims to continue to sustain the moral cleansing project, which Ramadan represents, saying the faithful should continue the holiness, virtues and values that come with Ramadan.

He said the overlap in Ramadan should boost the spiritual fortunes of the country and called on the Muslims to stick to the message of abstinence from retrogressive behaviours such as banditry, kidnapping, oil theft, embezzlement, fraud, intolerance, tribalism, mutual suspicion and hatred.

The Chief Imam said: “The moral cleansing project, which Ramadan represents must continue after Ramadan. I, therefore, urge all and sundry to continue the holiness, virtues and values that come with Ramadan.

“If we can do without food, drink and those things we covet and enjoy, it follows that we have the ability to refrain from sins and acts that are detrimental to our individual and collective interests. You cannot transform from an angelic life in the fasting period to a devilish life after the period of fasting. It is simply awkward. Would you exchange the better for the worse? (Qur’an 2:61).”

Describing Ramadan life as the best life, Musa said: “Live Ramadan throughout the year. The virtues of Ramadan should extend beyond Ramadan. It is an indispensable mechanism and moral regeneration. Let us take this opportunity to do things in the best way, to live better lives and to help one another to contribute to a God-conscious nation and a God-directed country. Ramadan is an orientation in God-consciousness to attain the most lofty of heights as individuals and as a nation.”
He urged Muslims to show gratitude to Allah for the huge gift of Ramadan, the month of the Qur’an.

He said: “Muslims must first show gratitude to Allah for the huge gift of Ramadan, the month of the Qur’an. It is so-called because Allah began Qur’anic revelation in Ramadan. The Qur’an is both guidance and mercy. Ramadan has within it the Night of Majesty (LailatulQadr), a night that is better than a thousand months (Qur’an 97:3). The month of Ramadan is the month of forgiveness of sins, divine mercy and earning the qualification for admission into paradise. It is the month of moral rebirth and harvest of spiritual blessings. It is not surprising that no discerning Muslim can afford to waste a minute of Ramadan.

“Believers refrain from acts that violate the injunctions of God and those that infringe upon the rights of human beings and, indeed, all of God’s creatures. This, we find that there is a temporary break in acts of immorality, barbarism and debauchery. When compared to the pre-Ramadan period, there is a noticeable reduction in mischievous practices and acts of malfeasance. However, after Ramadan, there is a tendency to revert to the pre-Ramadan “unholy” status. This has serious implications for peace and progress in families, communities, our nation and human societies at large.”

In the same vein, Professor Lai Olurode enjoined Muslims to reflect upon the message of the scripture more than any other time, saying the Qur’an was believed to have descended from heaven through Angel Gabriel, during the month of Ramadan.

The month of Ramadan, according to Olurode, is the holiest of the 12 months in the Islamic calendar. He said the month is a month of exemplary behaviour from Muslim faithful, complete devotion, piousness and closeness to Allah.

He said: “It is a month during which you buy one item and get 10 or more for free. It is a month of unaccountable, indeed unlimited blessings for every act of goodness. It teaches abstinence from food, drinks and sex during the day, and hurtful acts and words, a month of exemplary behaviour from Muslim faithful. No believing Muslim should cheaply submit to provocation on any ground.

“Secondly, it is a month when all sins are forgiven and all gates leading to paradise are left ajar and those of hell locked. It is a month of compete rebirth.

“Thirdly, it is a month of sharing with others the bounties that Allah has endowed us with. No Muslim who wishes to fast should be unable to do so, because of poverty, more so, when there are Muslims who are better off. It is a period of equality, which is blind to income, colour and biological sex. Fasting in this month is compulsory, except on grounds of age and sickness. The fourth point relates to the closeness to the Qur’an and the Hadith in the month of Ramadan.

“Muslim are enjoined to reflect upon the message of the scripture more than any other time. The Qur’an was believed to have descended from heaven through Angel Gabriel during the month of Ramadan. The last 10 days are particularly significant for Muslim because it is the time when those who can afford going to lesser Hajj go on to Makkah or confine themselves to the Mosques seeking the favour of Allah.

“The month teaches us not to dilute our good deeds with unacceptable behaviours. How to sustain the gains of the current till the next Ramadan is indeed a challenge. And unless this is the case, our spiritual liberation and the new bond that has been sealed in the month would be burnt out. The question, then, is why build in vain? As this may be the last Ramadan for some, let’s not fritter its gains. We should allow the lessons to endure forever and for them to impact our national character in order to arrest the rising social discontent from snowballing into something bigger,” he said.