Razaq Bamidele
A Lagos-based Islamic discussion group, The Companion, an association of Muslims in business and professions, AGEGE/OGBA USRAH zone, held its third online weekly lecture themed: Hidden Trials and Benefits of COVID-19 Ramadan Sunday 10, with an erudite and reputable international Arabic/Islamic scholar, Imam Najeem Jimoh featuring as the guest lecturer.
As usual, the two-hour parley started 9:00.am prompt and ended 11. Am, Nigerian time. The interactive session started with an opening prayer from the group’s Coordinator, Alhaji Zikrullah Alimi. And as expected, the brief but precise supplication cantered around the dreaded Coronavirus pandemic ravaging humanity globally regrettably in the holy month of Ramadan when Muslims all over the world carry out the fourth obligatory pillar of Islam which is Ramadan fast.
Following the items on the ageda to the letter, Alhaji Alimi revised the prayer recommended to the Muslim by the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (SAW), during pandemic and serious ailment either on individuals, nations or the whole world in general.
After that, the group’s Admin. Alhaji Bello Ismahil Ozugha was asked to introduce the guest lecturer of the day. And the brief introduction/citation went thus:
“Imam Najeem Jimoh,was a former Amir, Islamic Awareness Forum, London, Unite kingdom (UK). He was also former General Secretary, Muslim Association of Nigeria, UK and former Amir, The Companion, Lagos.
Ozugha concluded that, Imam Jimoh is a member, Da’wah Committee, Lekki Central Mosque, Lagos, Chief Imam, Lighthouse Muslim Community, Lekki, Lagos and Chief Operating Officer, Taurus Oil & GasLtd, Ikoyi Lagos.
In his 53 minute well-researched recorded audio, the worried cleric lamented that 2020 Ramadan is an unusual one that should be prayed against not to happen again because of the hardship that the deadly COVD-19 has brought down to the world.
However, as difficult as the situation is presently, Imam Jimoh asserted that, there are hidden benefits and blessings of All (SWT) out of the trials occasioned by the monster, saying, the trials the world is being subjected to is not new or strange.
Quoting from the glorious Qur’an, the guest lecturer said those who preceded this generation had been subjected to similar trials and tribulations in the time past, pointing out that, Allah always does so purposely to know those who are true believers and those who merely lay claims to faith/belief from just on the tips of their tongues.
And after the trials, according to the cleric, the true believers would be steadfast with their Lord while the liars would have fallen by the way side.
Buttressing his points, Jimoh cited a couple of Prophets of Allah, who went through trials and tribulations before they came out as true and strong believers, disclosing that, their steadfastness and fervent prayers to God and their faith in Him saw them through.
He started with the first man on the mother earth, Prophet Adam, whose original abode was Al-Janat (Paradise), before failing a trial that flung him and his wife, Hawau (Eve) down to the earth.
Then came Prophet Ibraheem who was thrown into a huge fire even with the support of his father simply because he was opposed to them in how they were worshipping objects created by God and not the almight Allah the Creator Himself.
He also reminded the trials of Prophet Isa (Jesus), may peace be unto him, who was tortured, persecuted and subjected by maximum incontinence by his people before he was said in the Christendom that he was executed on the cross. However, in Islam, Imam Jimoh submitted that, he was raised up alive hence his coming back again.
The scholar also narrated the trials of Prophet Ayub (Job), who in the process lost all what he had in forms of wealth, family and health. His house, according to the lecturer, went down killing all members of his family except his wife. Yet, with all the efforts of Iblis (shaytan/devil) at making him renounce God, Ayub remained steadfast and triumphed at the end of the day.
Ayub, Jimoh continued, suffered social isolation by moving out of the community so as not to spread the contagious skin disease he was battling with just as COVID-19 victims are experiencing in the Isolation Centres across the world now.
Last but not the least, Chief Imam, Lighthouse Muslim Community, Lekki, Lagos, mentioned the trials and tribulations of the Prophet of Islam, Prophet Muhammad (SAW), who was also persecuted, evicted out of his home town of Makkah to seek asylum in Madinah.
At the height of the persecution, he was slated to be murdered before Allah intervened by blinding his assailants till the prophet’s departure from home to escape out of town, Jimoh narrated adding that, trials included economic blockade resulting to hunger and starvation as well as bodily injuries suffered in the cause of inviting people to the right path.
Imperative of Prayer
The lecture told his online audience that, all the aforementioned Prophets of God and others not mentioned came out of their trials clean because they called on nobody else except God their Creator and he answered them.
According to him, Adam regretted his wrong action, called on God and He forgave him. Ibraheem (Abraham) called on God and He saved him from the raging fire. Isa called on his God and God raised him out of further trouble. Prophet Yunus (Jonah), when he found himself in the belly of a fish inside deep sea, he called on God and He delivered him. Ayub (Job) called on God and God healed him and returned all his lost wealth and property. Just as Muhammad (SAW) called on God and escaped the wrath of his enemies and his name and the religion he brought from God remain popular and relevant all days.
Against this background, Imam Jimoh urged the people to always run to God in times of trials like coronavirus, reminding them of the promise of God that, His always around to answer the prayers of whoever calls on Him.
Hidden Benefits of Coronavirus lockdown
While enumerating the hidden benefits of the lockdown, the widely travelled scholar said:
- The situation has given the Muslims all over the world first opportunity to perform Taraweeh (Asamu/Ramadan night prayers), at home individually just like Prophet Muhammad did in his life time.
He explained that, Rasulul-Lahi (SAW), prayed the night nafila only twice, saying, “he feared that, if he continued to observe it congregationally, Allah might make it compulsory and thereby constitute a burden on his ummah.”
According to him, Taraweehi as Muslims perform it today started during the time of the second kalipha (successor) Umar bn Khatab (RTA) who he referred to as a Reformer, saying Umar did it to stop the rowdiness it was causing when doing it individually. Reading aloud individually, Jimoh said, was causing disturbance to others, hence Umaru’s reform to guarantee decorum.
- It give opportunity for Muslims to be with their families and share with them some sermons that are hitherto benefitting only those who attend the mosque while some children and their mothers would be at home and lose the opportunity to advance in the religious knowledge as they are doing now.
- It gives opportunity for more acts of charity by spending good percentage of Umrah and Hajj money on charity since Umrah and Hajj are not certain this year.
Conclusion
Concluding, the guest lecturer reminded for the umpteen times that, Muslims should get prepared for trials as God has repeatedly said in His books, saying the trials and tribulations would always come in one form or the other.
It is COVID-19 this year, Jimoh stated, saying only God knows what comes next just as he reminded that, the only way out is calling on God again and again for succour.
Closing
Before Alhaja Shakirat Abdul-Majid said the closing prayer after Bello Ozugha’s votes of thanks, a number of Recharge Cards of different networks were distributed free to members of the group. In some instances, cash donations are transferred to various bank accounts of the participants.
The occasion was successfully brought to an end by 11.am Nigerian time.
