Operators of ‘torture centres’ not ambassadors of Islam —Scholar

THE director of Ali Institute for Qur’an Memorisation (AIQM), Malam Ali Abdus-Salam, has described owners and operators of detention homes dubbed rehabilitation centres as people of questionable characters who should not be allowed to get away with their crime.

The police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) recently discovered some so-called Islamic rehabilitation centres where the inmates were being treated inhumanly.

Abdus-Salam, a former (Amir) president of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), University of Ibadan, said owners and operators of such centers were dubious individuals who lacked human feelings.

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The cleric told journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, during the maiden graduation ceremony of AIQM that most of the centres were established to make money and not to promote Islam.

Dignitaries at the event included Zambian-based scholar, Sheikh Murtadha Imran, Dawud Zubayr Ajide; Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ogun State, Professor AbdulGaniy Raji; Head of the Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, University of Ibadan, Professor Luqman Akinbile and Engineer Sikiru Olakunle.

Abdus-Salam stated that there were no grounds for the “inhuman” activities of the owners and operators of those centres in Islam.

He said AIQM was established to train youths that would change the society for the better.

“Our mission is to assist Muslim youths to understand the basic tenets of Islam in a way that will not affect their Western education pursuit.

“So far, we have trained over 400 students and they are from different parts of the country,” the cleric said.

He stated that beyond teaching the students how to recite the Qur’an, the institute instills moral values that will make them responsible members of the society.

The guest lecturer, Ustaz Rashid Hazim, cautioned the graduands against engaging in anti-social behaviours.

“You need to take Al-Qur’an very seriously. It is a book of guidance and you should not play with it. You should make sure that you implement the teachings of Al-Qur’an. You should move away from those things which Allah forbids in Al-Qur’an.

“The government should treat Al-Qur’an memorisers as graduates. They should employ them. They should allow the teaching of Al-Qur’an in public schools so that Muslim students can understated their religion and benefit the society,” he said.

Nigerian Tribune