Shittola

 Salām Alaykum!       I listened to a radio programme in Ilorin  this Tuesday evening and the anchor of the programme reported that the world celebrated _hijāb_ day last week. It was a surprise to me because I was not aware of the celebration. Nothing indicated that some thing was being celebrated. I then asked why the celebration? Should _hijāb_ be celebrated just on one day only? Is it not worn by many Muslim women every day ? I continued to ask questions on the need or otherwise for the celebration.  My search for the motives of its organisers reveals that they do it to "recognise the millions of Muslim women world wide who choose to wear the _hijāb_ ." Its organisers say " On February 1, every year, since 2013, World Hijāb Day is celebrated across the globe to dismantle the prejudices that come with _hijāb_ . An open invitation is sent to women of all faiths to wear head scarves for one day in solidarity with Muslim women worldwide."  The president...

 Salām alaykum,        Power is transient, it is transitory, it is temporary. It is never permanent. Power does not belong to any mortal that will die any time. It belongs to Allah and to Him alone the Immortal, the Permanent, the Eternal. Allah bestows power on whomever He likes. He snatches it from whomever He likes (Q3:26). All powers belong to Him and Him alone (Q35:10 & 4:139). Whoever covets it should seek it from Allah. It is He alone that can grant it to anyone He likes, and allows it to remain with the individual for a specific period before it is withdrawn from him.   When a Muslim realises the transient nature of power, he is at peace with Allah and with himself. He does not plan to remain in power for ever. He is always conscious that it can be taken away from him at any time. He knows that he may even die before the expiration of his official term. A Muslim who knows the nature of power and accepts its reality will not have hypertensio...

 Salām alaykum!      Nigerian Muslims Lost a Great Islamic Scholar The Muslim Ummah in Nigeria have lost a great Islamic intellectual, a legal luminary, an incorruptible Qādī, a jurist per excellence in person of the pioneer Grand Qādī of the Kwara State Sharia Court of Appeal, the Sarikin Malamai and the Marafan Ilorin, the Honorable Justice Abdulkadir Orire, Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON.        The Justice returned to his Lord, Allah, on Tuesday night, 26th January 2021, and buried in his Tafawa Balewa GRA Residence, Ilorin at 11:30 am on Wednesday 27th January / 14th Jumādath Thānī 1442. This death is saddening and worrisome because we just lost Shaykh Ahmad Lemu another great Muslim jurist and Dā'ī who was also the former Grand Qādī of Niger state. I pray to Allah to be pleased with both of them.       Q21:34-35 asserts that no human being will live for ever; everyone will taste death. It also states rightly tha...

This picture is among a set of epic pictures of Shaykh Jami'u Bulala I recently shared on my Facebook page (Shittu Olanipekun) It was gratifying to note how the pictures easily went viral on various social media platforms like a rage of wildfire. Several reactions cum comments trailed the pictures among which is the one on the above caption. The submission of the commenter may not be unconnected to the way Shaykh dressed in a round T-shirt inscribed with the picture of Barham (Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse, d.1975) and a short knickers with a hat to match. He was in company of his loyalist, Late Alhaji Yusuf Alabi Temidire.(May Allah shower His mercy on both of them) It is not a gainsay to admit that Baba Bulala was an Enigma. His eccentric way of life has left several speculations about his real identity. However, a point is worthy of note that Baba spent the most important part of his life on ibadah (worshipping Allah) and thus, he was acknowledged Amirul Awliyah(Leader of sa...

Rosaries, tesuba in Yoruba, or Tasbihāt in Arabic as the meaning connotes is an instrument for the remembrance of Allah. The object has been in use since time immemorial. It is not peculiar to the Muslims alone as other religions adherents like the Buddhists, the Christians, the Hindus amongst others also use it for their various ritual acts. Its origin in Islam has been controversial though, it's usage is more associated with the Sūfīyyūn(Sufis) Suffice it to say that not all Sūfī adherents place more priority or significance to the usage of Rosaries. Nevertheless, its usage has proven to be more significant than detrimental in the sense that apart from ensuring that the counting of the adhkār is being done accurately, it also facilitates the concentration of the mind of the dhakir(the person who is remembering Allah) during the cause of remembrance. However, the object (rosary) has more often than none been abused by some Muslims especially the young Sūfīyyūn. This is...