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Some clerics in Lagos State on Tuesday urged Muslims to emulate Prophet Abraham’s virtues of sacrifice, obedience and submissiveness to the will of Allah, in order to be successful in life.
A cross-section of the clergymen made the appeal in their sermons during Eid el-Kabir prayer in various parts of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Eid el-Kabir commemorates sacrifice and total obedience to the will of Allah by Prophet Abraham.
“Today’s celebration is a commemoration of total submissiveness and obedience to the will of Allah, as exemplified by Prophet Abraham and Ishmael.
“It is also a lesson on the virtue of keeping our promises to Allah and to our fellow man,’’ Prof. Abdulraheem Lawal, the Chief Imam of Isashi Central Mosque, on the Lagos-Badagry expressway, said.
“Prophet Abraham made a vow to sacrifice his son to Allah, and when it was time to fulfil the promise, he didn’t back out. That is a strong virtue worthy of emulation.
“It was in appreciation of that gesture that Allah converted what would have been a human sacrifice to that of a sheep,’’ the cleric said.
Lawal advised Muslims to shun societal ills and to always endeavor to do good, for the betterment of all.
“Societal ills like bribery, corruption, drunkenness and gambling do not do any good to man, society, or the Muslim faithful, hence all believers are enjoined to avoid them.
“As we go out to vote in 2019, I advise Nigeria’s voters to elect selfless leaders and shun the temptation of selling their votes,” he said.
Similarly, the Chief Imam of the Ijebu-Epe Central Mosque, Sheikh Kolawole Sanni, urged Muslims to uphold the integrity of Islam and exhibit the culture of Islam in their daily lives.
“Islam is a religion of peace; therefore, Muslim’s should spread peace in their environment.
“Muslims should continue to uphold their obedience to Allah in the spirit of forgiveness and love for one another,’’ Sanni said.
Also, the Chief Imam of the Eko-Epe Central Mosque, Alhaji Abiola Sadallah, appealed to Epe indigenes to be peaceful and follow the teachings of Prophet Abraham.
“I congratulates Muslims on the occasion of the Eid el-kabir festival, wishing all and sundry a peaceful and happy celebration.
“There is need to devote oneself to the service of the supreme being and pray for the unity, peace, progress and stability of the country, as we approach another period of general elections.
“I, therefore, enjoin everyone to participate actively in the forthcoming elections, by making sure that they obtain their PVCs,’’ Sadallah said.
The Chief Imam of Ogo Oluwa Central Mosque, Ikorodu, Alhaji Sharafudeen Lawal, also urged Nigerians to be more patient and to support President Muhammadu Buhari with prayers for the country to be more successful in its activities.
“What happened to Prophet Abraham is a lesson to every Muslim, because whatever challenges everyone is going through can only be successful with patience.
“Everybody will be tested whether we like it or not but we should be thankful to Almighty Allah for keeping us alive up to this moment.
“Our government should always reflect on the governance of their predecessors and seek to improve on it because everyone will be accountable for his deeds on the day of restoration,’’ Lawal said.
“Before this generation, a lot of generations before us had witnessed this kind of situation we are experiencing in Nigeria today.
“I am, therefore, appealing to all Nigerians to be honest with one another and wish we will go a long way to take us to the level we wish to be, where everybody we live in peace,’’ the Cleric said.
A trader, Alhaja Toyeebah Agoro, urged the Federal Government to improve upon the current state of security in the nation.
Agoro said that only Allah could grant Nigerians the breakthroughs they seek in both their personal and national lives, and prayed that God would support President Buhari in his fight against corrupt-minded compatriots.
Alhaji Abdul-Wahab Ogedengbe, a retired Civil Servant, said he appreciated the level of peace in the nation and urged government to continue encouraging farmers to excel in their activities.
Ogedengbe also prayed for peaceful and successful elections in 2019.
A salesman, Abudul-Hakeem Ibitoye, said that although the economic situation was gradually returning to normalcy, he called on the government to continue to manage it appropriately, in order to restore nation to its past glory.
Mr Sakiru Aluko, a company executive, urged Nigerian Muslims to live in peaceful co-existence with their Christian compatriots.
He also called on Nigerians to be grateful to God in whatever condition they find themselves, so that God can continue to increase His mercies upon them.
Similarly, Chief Wale Mogaji, the Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Service Commission, called on both Muslims and Christians to tolerate one another for the sake of peace, stressing that both religions worshipped one God.
He, therefore, advised the youth against formenting trouble during the Eid season and beyond.
Mogaji, who is also the Otun Balogun of Epeland, urged indigenes to live in harmony with one another and emulate the lifestyle of Prophet Muhammad.
The High Chief, however, urged Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in its fight against insurgency and other social vices in the country. (NAN)
Tags: Eid el-Kabir: Clerics urge Muslims to emulate Prophet Abraham’s virtues of sacrifice obedience
