The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria has felicitated Muslims in the country as they join the rest of the faithful across the world to mark this year’s Eid-ul-Adha.
In a statement, the Amir (National Head), Alhaji Azeez Alatoye, urged Nigerians to resuscitate the values of patience, tolerance and prayerfulness as part of the lessons derived from the Eid-ul-Adha commemorating the great sacrifice made by Prophet Ibrahim, his wife, Hajar and his son, Prophet Ismail.
He said the faithfulness, sacrifice and obedience of Ibrahim, the submission, forbearance and patience of Ismail and the sacrifice and fortitude of Hajar “all combine to form a profound manual of values, standards of virtues and model of personal and national development for humanity at all times.”
Alatoye said: “Prophet Ibrahim demonstrated the highest level of dignity, shamefulness and fulfilment of pledge. These qualities are fading out in our society on a daily basis.
“It is compelling that all of us, from the leaders to the followers, men and women, males and females, must leverage these Abrahamic standards and model with a view to resuscitating our value system for the emancipation and development of ourselves and our nation.
“More so, as millions of Nigerians sacrifice animals today, it is necessary to bear in our minds the Qur’anic declaration that: ‘Their flesh reaches not Allah, nor does their blood, but it is your righteousness that reaches Him.
“It is imperative that Nigerians, the political class and the governed, resuscitate the true spirit of sacrifice, selflessness, righteousness and fear of God in all our dealings at interpersonal, corporate and national levels.
“Nigerians are passing through a tough economic time but the political class are displaying wealth and arrogance across the land. These wrong values should stop. Nigerians deserve respect, care and love from the political class. Government at all levels must ensure that palliatives get across to citizens as a stopgap to poverty alleviation programmes.
“Within the corporate world, all forms of cheating, fraudulent practices and corruption which culminate in losses to the corporate world and the national economy should stop and fresh ones nip in the bud.
“In the national, state and local governments, profligacy and excessive spending in the areas of purchase of exotic or luxurious SUV cars by the executive and legislative arms should stop. This has sent wrong signals to the populace that these arms of government are stinkingly rich but do not care for the welfare of the citizens but themselves.
“We must resuscitate the values of patience, tolerance and prayerfulness as part of the lessons derived from the Eid-ul-Adha.
“Indeed, at no other time do we need to be more prayerful and patient than the present situation that we are passing through in Nigeria.
“It is my earnest prayer that Allah the Almighty grant us all the best of Eid-u-Adha experiences, filled with true peace, security and prosperity, today, and always. Amin.”
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