ISE Holds 7th Annual Pre-Ramadan Lecture, Encourages Clerics To Preach In Local Languages
By Eric M Kuju
The Islamic Society of Eggonland (ISE) has held its 7th pre-Ramadan lecture.
The pre-Ramadan lecture which is an annual event, held at the Nassarawa Eggon Central Mosque with over 100 clerics from around Eggon land in attendance.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the event and Aren Akun, Alhaji Usman Galadima Umbugadu charged the participants to see themselves as representatives of their various congregations and not allow anything distract them from gaining knowledge.
He said: “This invitation is not for you alone. You were invited to come and gain knowledge so that you can go and pass it on to members of your congregation. I expect that this knowledge will be shared in all your mosques.”
There were a total of four papers presented by various scholars in this year’s ISE pre-Ramadan lectures. The lecturers used a mixture of Hausa, Arabic, Eggon and/or English languages to pass their message.
The first paper was presented by the Chief Imam of the Nassarawa Eggon Central Mosque, Sheikh Jibrin Yusuf Danladi on the topic Ma’anan Tauheedi da Rarrabuwan Sa a Musulunci.
The second paper was presented by Ustaz Suleiman Ibn Sulaiman the Director Dawah JIBWIS Nasarawa State on the topic Ilimi da Mahimmanci Kira Zuwa Gareshi.
The third and fourth were presented by Ustaz Haruna Umar Eyi (the Imam of Salafiya Mosque Damaturu, Yobe) and Ustaz Shaq Salihu Muhammad Jangwa (the Youth Chairman, JIBWIS Nasarawa State Chapter. The topics were Alheri Guda Dari Wanda Aike So Musulmi Ya Aikatasu A Watan Ramadan and Hukunce HukunCen Azumi respectively.
Giving a summary on all the papers presented, Sheikh Jibrin Yusuf Danladi said: “Today’s event centres on four paramount topics. The first paper which was presented by myself was on Islamic theology. This paper contains teaching of moral and spiritual aspects so that our religious leaders will go out there to be responsible in the society and send a message of peace and stability not only in Nassarawa Eggon or in Nasarawa State but the whole nation at large.
“The second paper speaks on education because knowledge is the bedrock of every society. A society that loses her knowledge, definitely shall live in ignorance. And the result of ignorance will definitely be regrets. We thought giving knowledge will be so important for our clerics.
“The third paper is on assisting one another, particularly the less privileged. If you are blessed or well-to-do, please look around for those who are less privileged and assist them. Certainly, if you assist them, God will also assist you.
“And the last paper is on the month of Ramadan. It is so significant indeed because it is a month respected so much by the Muslim faithful. It is a month that the Almighty Allah rewards he who fasts sincerely and honestly. Because if you feel you can feed yourself and live a satisfactory life, there is definitely somebody there that cannot even get a meal a day. So if you fast, you will feel as the less privilege feels so you can assist them.
“At the end of the programme, the objective of the programme is to mould the whole society. We feel if we train the religious leaders, they have followers so they will go back and embark on step-down training. At the end of the day, we will all be law-abiding citizens following the teachings enshrined in the holy scriptures and loving one another.”
In the course of the lecture, the clerics were also encouraged to preach in Eggon language for the better understanding of the locales.
According to Sheikh Jibrin Danladi, “The scriptures – that is the Qur’an – state that Allah does not send a messenger to any nation until with their own tongue to speak clearly and categorically to them for their understanding. That is why the Islamic Society (of Eggonland) on that injunction, is promoting the ethnic nationality on passing the message but not on discrimination.”
Speaking to the press after the event, the General Secretary of the Islamic Society of Eggonland, Alhaji Umar Abdullahi Galle said the pre-Ramadan lecture which has become an annual event for the ISE, is organized for especially imams from rural areas to be educated by renowned scholars.
According to him, the imams that participated in the lecture are expected to take the message to their various congregations.
“It is of importance for these spiritual leaders to take this message to their followers. It is very, very important. They have received lectures today from informed lecturers and they have the responsibility of going back to pass this information to their followers. If they fail to do so, then the essence of their coming here has been defeated.”
He also charged the imams to, in the spirit of Ramadan, encourage their followers to live peacefully with their neighbours and shun all sorts of vices especially as the political activities have begun in earnest.
