21ST EDITION OFVOICE OF THE MIMBARR: ETHICS OF TRANSITION IN ISLAM- BY DR. RAZAQ BOLAWAYE
In the name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful.
Holy Qur'an 3:139-140 reads: So lose not heart, nor fall into despair: for you must gain mastery if you are true in faith. If a wound has touched you, be surra a similar wound has touched the others. Such days (of t
varying fortunes) We give men and men by turns: that Allah may know those that believe, and that He may take to Himself from your ranks martyr-witnesses (to Truth). And Allah loves not those that do wrong.
The above Qur'an provision charges Muslims to take bull by the horns in virtually in every matter of interest, economic, social, political, religious and others. Taking the lead in this manner defines the premise in which Muslims are regarded as the best community ever evolved in the sense of enjoining goodness and forbidding evils (Qur'an 3:103).
The rule of life is subsumed for change from one form to the other. Transition is imminent from government to government and ultimately from life to death. This informs the belief in the _Al_ _Akhirah_ (Last Hour) as related to good and bad and reward therefrom.
The noble Messenger _(SAW)'s_ life epitomised of humility and humaneness of highest order. Close to his demise, a great deal of practices was reported of which Muslims find model in his characters. Al 'Uqayliy _(R.A)_ reported that the noble Messenger increased goodness unto people just as he was fond of talking to them on what could have been inadvertently mistaken as human and for the offended to take revenge on him so that he could meet his Lord and he is pleased with. For instance, he once addressed the people that: 'O people, glory be to Allah Who shares partnership with no one, whosoever felt beaten on the back by me this is my back should come forward for his own turn, and whosoever I might have tongue-lashed or harmed with mouth should find obligation in taking his own turn. For: you all realize that neither falsehood nor infamous character is in my nature. O people, the most loved among you happen to be the one who found a right on me and took same of me and I meet Allah in perfect state of mind. For, I am not so sure of meeting you on this occasion any more. Coming back to the subject after saying _Salatu_ Zuhr , a man stood and said: 'I have on you three Dirham? He quickly asked Fadl to return to him the amount while he quickly said: 'whosoever has anything on him should return it to the owner and should not bother about possible shame that follows. The shame of the Last hour is more de-humanising.
Another man stood up and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I have on me three dirham which was taken from the ' _Fi__ _Sebili Llah_ ' proceeds?' The Messenger said: ' but you did not scoop it?' The man said:'I was in dire need of it then'. Collect it from him, the Messenger told Fadl.
On the long run, the Messenger asked:'Is there someone among you who has something he is not pleased with to stand up for me to pray for him?' It is there a man stood up and said:' I combined telling lies, evil doing and stupify' The Messenger said: 'O Allah, make him truthful, faithful and divorce him from too much sleep.' Another man made similar request to which the Messenger prayed for a change for better condition.
The implications of this relatives include imminence of seeking forgiveness from divine and mortal before shifts from one position or the other including before death. Goodness in all ramifications by the transiting and great lessons for the incoming to imbibe. Good counsel taken and implemented will linger on even after leaving the position. Positive impacts made on people will abide in memory for life. And forgiveness and forgetting malice on anything done while office make us magnanimous.
To this end, transition paints a picture of sequence of chain the connectives of which guarantee its beauty and disjoint of which paves way for possible annihilation.
Till we meet in the next episode, remain blessed and Jumu'ah Mubaarakah. Ma'as salaamah.
DR RAZAQ BOLAWAYE UTHMAN, Imam ADS Ipaja Branch.
-Nigeria
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