Published 6 June 16, 2018 By ADEBAYO WAHEED, Ibadan

The Amir (president) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Nigeria, Dr Mashu’ud Aderenle Fashola, has warned that without the pursuit of justice, fair-play, and strict equality of all citizens under the rule of law, the country will not be able to sustain peace, security, political stability and socioeconomic progress. Fashola, in his Eid-el-Fitri message yesterday, said that God and Lord of all creation does not discriminate among His creation in respect of their ethnicity, creed, class and gender. According to him, in the sight of Gracious Lord, the rank or honour of individuals depends exclusively on their righteousness or dutifulness. “Righteousness represents the objective of Ramadan fasting and, indeed, the objective of all divine faiths. Piety or uprightness of government functionaries, political and community leaders is a necessary requirement for the achievement and sustenance of peace, security, and prosperity in the land.

“Ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity do not constitute the problem of Nigeria. The real problem arises from the leaderships of some groups that exploit our diversity in unbridled struggle to acquire power for perpetual political domination and wealth accumulation, resulting in severe political instability, political crisis, terrible insecurity, and their inability to make significant progress in industrial development, eradication of poverty and improvement in the living standards of the generality of the people.” The way out for Nigeria, he said was for all pious citizens and civil organisations to come together to defend universal moral values of justice, equality, integrity, charity, harmony and unity without any discrimination. This is what is enjoined in Qur’an 3:104 that, “there should be among you, a body of people who should invite to goodness, enjoin justice and equity and forbid evil”, this being a precondition for divine assistance for the nation. “Our message to individual citizens is that our collective efforts on the path of righteousness, fair-play, and respect for the rights of others will eventually result in desirable changes towards sustenance of security, peace and prosperity.” He explained that from spiritual point of view, the bosom of the pious becomes an abode of the Spirit of God Almighty; and, “He will ensure one’s protection from all evils and calamities and provide for ample sustenance, guidance, and blissful life, provided one remains steadfast and unshaken in faith. “The pious is expected by the Gracious Lord, to be a model of moral excellence, who should enjoin justice, equity, charity, and stand firm against fraud, falsehood, dishonesty, wickedness, uncleanliness and immorality at home, at workplace, in the community, and at all gatherings,” he added.

Read More at: https://leadership.ng/2018/06/16/ahmadiyya-calls-for-justice-fairplay-equity/