Ramadan: Islamic leader urges ruling class to fear God
By Jeleel Olawale
The Chief Imam of Ifeland, Alhaji AbdulSemiu AbdulHammid has called on political leaders to have the fear of Allah in dealing with the masses, saying that only the fear of God can take the nation to the promised land.
The Chief Imam made this known in an interview with our correspondent on the lessons of Ramadan. According to him, “Allah said, we have made fasting obligatory for you and those behind you, so that you may have piety.”
The root of all lessons of Ramadan is piety. It is the piety that makes one fast as prescribed by Allah. It is the fear of Allah that will make one fast thoroughly.
He said the teaching of Ramadan enjoins one to show mercy to one another. So, Islam teaches us to do things in common. Ramadan is a blessing that binds family together and shows understanding to one another by giving to the needy.
“Ramadan teaches honesty to oneself and other people. There is honesty to Allah by abstaining from all vices. One will fast honestly the way Allah prescribed it so that one will have total rewards for it.
“This period is a period of love. Ramadan promotes love among the people. We care for one another in this fasting period which should be replicated after the fasting period. It bridged the gap between the poor and the rich. People give to the needy which brings about interpersonal relationship.
“The fear of Allah is the fundamental ingredient in all aspects of a nation either politically, economically and socially. It is the fear of Allah that will determine the success of all these,” he noted.
The Chief Imam averred that what is absent in the politics of this nation is the fear of Allah. If this is absent in our political life, the social and economic lives will fail totally. Everything will fail because the political class forms the ruling class.
“So, if they don’t have the fear, the economic system will collapse woefully. Even, look at the irregular payment of salary to workers. The Governor spends money on whatever he likes but will not be able to pay salary. If workers are not paid, the market economy will be affected.
“The social life is equally being affected as no provision of portable water, road, electricity. It is the governing class that will provide all these amenities. The moment the fear of Allah is lost in them, they use the money available for anything they like,” he stated.
Speaking on naira scarcity, he said any policy that would not favour the masses, government should not implement it. The policy is good which aimed at reducing activities of kidnappers, bandits and naira hoarding.
“The policy is good but it was not carefully implemented. There should have been wide range of period when the old naira notes would be seized to be legal tender.
“Now that the Central Bank of Nigeria is being forced to extend the period. If they have done that, there would not be any problem. The policy is affecting all facets of life not even Ramadan but the economy”.
He however, urged the ruling class to have fear of God in all their dealings so that the downtrodden can live a better and meaningful life. They should shun act of flamboyant and affluence life at the expense of the poor, adding that they should know that some people are suffering somewhere and living in abject poverty.
