Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto and the President-General of Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, yesterday, attributed the problems confronting Nigeria to the citizens’ misdeeds, corruption and political recklessness.
While he urged Muslims across the country to hold special prayers, called Al-Qunut against insecurity in the country, he said that supplication and invocation to God is the greatest weapon of believers, especially Nigerians at a difficult time like this.
The Sultan, in a statement by Secretary-General of JNI, Dr Khalid Aliyu, said governments, at all levels, should brace up to the daunting challenges of good governance, reminding them that there is the Day of Reckoning before God.
He said: “To the Muslims, Du’a is sine qua non in all circumstances of our lives, especially in moments of grief which we have now, unfortunately, found ourselves in Nigeria, as a result of our misdeeds, corruption and political recklessness cum arrogance. The call for prayer has for that reason become necessary as nothing is honourable before Allah (SWT) than His servant to be humble and submissive through prayers to Him.
“For whoever, to whom the door of prayer is opened, will have his prayers answered insha’Allah. Supplication/invocation to Allah, the Almighty, is undoubtedly dearer to Him and the surest way to attaining requests put before Him by His repentant servants. Allah says “And remember your Lord by your tongue and within yourself, humbly and in awe, without loudness, by words in the morning and the afternoon, and be not among those who are neglectful” Q7:205.
“Owing to the above, the Sultan of Sokoto and the President-General, JNI, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar uses this medium to call on the Nigerian Muslim Ummah to engage in sustained supplications/prayers at this moment of grief, through Qunootun-Nawazil (special prayers at calamitous periods in the last Raka’at of each obligatory prayer and non-obligatory prayers).
“This call has become imperative bearing in mind that human lives have continued to be exterminated and even immolated unchallenged as we saw in Beni-sheikh, Kaga local government area of Borno State and Gidan Bawa, Isa local government area of Sokoto state. Muslims are, therefore, implored to fervently and faithfully resort to Allah, the Exceedingly Beneficent and Benevolently Merciful in the face of these calamities by engaging in (i) Al-Qunoot in the last Raka’ah of each obligatory and non-obligatory prayers, specifically to seek intervention from Allah (SWT); (ii) observance of Adhkar(remembrance of Allah); (iii) supplications in Sujood (prostrating position) in all circumstances and (iv) Du’a (prayers) at all times.’, particularly that there is seeming anxiety and palpable fear that has elicited many citizens’ minds in recent time. We should sincerely devote time at night and call unto Allah, the Responder to prayers.
