May 26, 2026
The National Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at of Nigeria, Alhaji Azeez Alatoye, has urged Muslims to embrace sincerity, obedience, and service to Allah, warning against acts of “religious pretentiousness” during the Eid-ul-Adha celebration.
In a message to commemorate the Eid, Alatoye congratulated Nigerians, both Muslims and non-Muslims, on witnessing another celebration, describing Eid-ul-Adha as a period closely associated with Hajj and animal sacrifice.
According to him, the essence of Eid goes beyond the symbolic slaughtering of animals and centres more on obedience and devotion to Allah, as demonstrated by Prophet Ibrahim.
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“If Prophet Ibrahim (as) has not obeyed Allah’s commandment and has not placed service to Allah beyond his emotions, we would not be celebrating Eid today,” he said.
He noted that Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to place the pleasure of Allah above personal emotions left “an enduring legacy for all time,” adding that his obedience was marked by complete submission rather than pretence.
The Ahmadiyya leader challenged Muslims to examine the true motives behind their religious activities, asking whether acts such as sacrifice and pilgrimage were genuinely intended to seek Allah’s pleasure or merely societal recognition.
“Are we offering the sacrifice to show off the size of the animal we bought or to demonstrate our obedience to Allah and to seek His nearness and pleasure?” he asked.
He also questioned whether some Muslims perform Hajj simply to acquire social titles such as “Alhaji” or “Alhaja.”
Alatoye stressed that intention remains central in Islam, saying that while people may not see the motives behind religious acts, Allah sees everything.
“Anything done to please Allah is regarded as service to Allah, no matter how small it may seem in our estimation, while anything done for show, status or personal benefits is devoid of Allah’s blessings,” he stated.
Citing the Holy Quran, he said Allah promises guidance and peace to those whose actions are sincerely aimed at seeking His pleasure.
The cleric, however, expressed concern over the moral state of the country, questioning the involvement of Muslims in crimes such as corruption, banditry and insurgency.
“Of all the criminal acts happening in Nigeria – from corruption to banditry and insurgency – in which of them are Muslims not involved?” he queried.
He urged Muslims to reflect deeply during the Eid period and realign their priorities towards obedience to Allah rather than seeking public applause.
“Let us therefore use this period for sober reflection and to reorder our priorities by placing obedience to Allah above all our desires and actions,” he said.
Alatoye prayed for Allah’s guidance and acceptance of the faithful’s acts of worship during the Eid celebration.
Categories: Africa, Ahmadis, Ahmadiyyat: True Islam, Muslims, Nigeria, Western Africa