₦airaland Forum

As a young children, many of us were dragged to the dentist. Once at the surgery, despite our protests, we were seated on the chair and made to open our mouths, after which the dentist carried out ‘unspeakable atrocities’ against us. Scaling, polishing, filling and worst of all – injecting and extracting – are some of the horrors that we were made to undergo. To our disappointment and dismay, our emphatic appeals to our parents to bring an end to the torture simply fell on deaf ears, and they even went as far as to side with the dentist, scolding us and telling us to sit still! To add insult to injury, while we nursed our wounds, they thanked the ‘torturer’ and paid him handsomely for what he had done!

Now, as adults, we look back, in retrospect, and realize that the dentist was actually a blessing in disguise. Had he not treated us, we would have probably lost some of our teeth – a loss that would have plagued us for the rest of our lives. Thus, although we did not understand it at the time, the difficulty that we suffered was actually for the best.

Similarly, we often face difficulties and trials in our lives. Whether a car accident, a burglary, sickness or any other calamity befalls us, although we suffer and undergo difficulty at the time, we seldom realize that often there is actually great benefit and wisdom in the difficulty. Hence, we should instantly hold firm to sabr (patience) and hope for reward from Allah Ta‘ala.

A few decades ago, a man from Durban was at the Jeddah airport, returning home from hajj. Inexplicably, the airport staff rejected his ticket, although he had followed the procedure and regulation of the time by going to the airline offices and confirming the ticket prior to the flight. The officials refused to allow him to board the aircraft. This man was naturally upset and could not understand why he had been denied his seat on the plane.

Hardly an hour had passed, when this man learned that the plane in which he was originally meant to travel had crashed and all the passengers had tragically passed away! He was now relieved and grateful, realizing that although his ordeal had seemed to be a difficulty at the time, it was actually Allah Ta‘ala’s divine intervention to save him from the plane crash.

If, when afflicted with calamities and difficulties we adopt sabr, remain pleased with the decision of Allah Ta‘ala and do not complain of the circumstances, then Allah Ta‘ala rewards us for these actions of sabr and submission. Furthermore, difficulty is sometimes sent our way in order to ward off a far greater calamity that was otherwise destined to befall us. Simply because we fail to comprehend the benefit and wisdom behind the difficulty, it does not mean that it is not there.

Whenever we face a difficulty in future, let our first reaction be that of sabr and happiness with the decision of Allah Ta‘ala

madridguy:
Is the writer " Qaasim Odedeji " a sunni muslim? Shia? Teblig? Izzala? Qadiriyah? Tijjaniyyah? Ahlu Sunnah or a Salafist?

Padipadi:
What about those who murdered Aguiyi Ironsi?
You are the o e creating incitement here.
It's not to justify what happened in Iseyin as this post is saying but to tell you two wrongs don't make a right. Lukgaf, there's more to this story. Don't just post one side of a report. You are all brewing religious crisis that can set the country on fire. This matter should v gone directly to nearby law enforcement agencies in charge of that town.

22nd June, 2024

PRESS RELEASE:

SANCTION SOLDIERS WHO BRUTALISED MUSLIMS IN ISEYIN ON SALAH DAY – MURIC



The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the Nigerian Army to fish out soldiers who mercilessly brutalised a Muslim woman in purdah with her husband in Iseyin, Oyo State, on Salah day (16th June, 2024).



MURIC’s complaint was contained in a statement issued on Saturday 22nd June, 2024 by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.



The statement reads:



“We are in possession of video clips and the picture of one of the 20 soldiers who broke the heads of a Muslim woman in purdah and that of her husband and inflicted serious injuries on other Muslims.



“In addition, the soldiers seized a little child, cut open his hand with a knife and took him away. It was one of the chiefs of Iseyin (the Ikolaba of Iseyin) who went to beg the soldiers before the child was released later. This is preposterous, barbaric and unacceptable. We demand justice.



“The incident occurred on Salah day, 16th June, 2024. The Muslim family was attacked as they prepared to slaughter their Salah ram on that day. The pastor of a church located opposite their house protested that the ram was placed in a position facing the church and immediately mobilised his congregation who invited soldiers from the barracks.



It was learnt that there has been a misunderstanding between the Muslim family and the church over noise pollution over which even the king of Iseyin had intervened.



“MURIC is aware that the Nigerian military authorities have maintained a good reputation among patriotic and truth-loving Nigerians mainly because they do not shield the bad eggs among them. We remind the army that this is another brutal attack on innocent civilian Muslims involved in a quarrel with a church. How can soldiers descend so heavily and so mercilessly on a poor and innocent Muslim family?



“This is an unjust, callous and inhuman behavior on the part of the 20 soldiers. We demand justice. We call on the army to investigate, apprehend and punish the belligerent military personnel involved in this atrocity without unnecessary delays. Justice delayed is justice denied.”




Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Founder/Executive Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

A disturbing incident occurred on Sunday, the day of Muslim Eid, in Iseyin.

A trending video shows a man and his two wives being assaulted. The man, a Muslim who lives near a Christian neighbor, was sacrificing a ram on his property for Eid. However, this led to a dispute due to previous issues.

The man had earlier complained to the police, king, and security agencies about the loud noise from the pastor's worship sessions, which included the use of speakers and microphones late at night. The pastor had warned the man not to slaughter the ram on the road, which is still within the man's property, citing its proximity to their own premises.

According to reports, the pastor's son, a newly recruited soldier who had been threatening the man over the noise pollution complaints, led a group of about ten colleagues to attack the man. They broke one of the man's wives' legs, assaulted the other on the head and beat him mercilessly. The incident has been reported to the police, but no action has been taken yet, with authorities allegedly trying to cover it up. Attached are some evidence from the incident.

dmaze:
Jazakumullah Khairan Bro Lukgaf

May Almighty Allah SWT continue to accept our efforts, ameen.

On the authority of Anas (RadhiyAllahu ‘anhu) who said:I heard the Messenger of Allah (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) say,

“Allah the Almighty has said: ‘O Son of Adam, as long as you invoke Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O Son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and you then asked forgiveness from Me, I would forgive you. O Son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the Earth, and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it [too].’ ”

The journey of life often encompasses difficulties, challenges, trials and tribulations. With the right frame of mind and positive attitude we can come out of each “dark tunnel” better, stronger and wiser.

We have a choice on how we respond to life’s “storms.” Either we can cast blame while becoming resentful and bitter or we can be positive and turn to Allah Ta’ala and exercise patience. Every hurdle we face in life has a meaning and Allah Ta’ala will not expose us to a burden we cannot endure. “Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear…” (Qur’an: 2:286).

“Great reward comes with great trials. When Allah loves a people, He tests them, and whoever accepts it attains His pleasure, whereas whoever shows discontent with it incurs His wrath.” (Hadith- Tirmidhi)

“…….If anything befalls you, do not say ‘If only I had done (such and such), the such and such would have happened,’ rather say: ‘Allah has decreed and what He wills He does , for (saying) ‘if only’ opens the door to the work of the shaytaan(devil).”(Hadith-Muslim ).

As part of our Imaan (faith), we believe that all matters are in the hands of Allah Ta’ala. However, our Imaan can get shaken during times of trials and hardships. It is during such times though that we should remind ourselves that a believer’s position and rank is raised in front of Allah and that such a hardship may very well be a sign of Allah’s love for the believer. This can help us in maintaining and even strengthening our faith.

Once a boy found a cocoon of a butterfly and took it home. One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole.

Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. Then the boy decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily.

But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The boy continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened!

In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the boy in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were Allah Ta’ala’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If Allah allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would sometimes cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been and possibly never be able to “fly”.

Sometimes we need heat and warmth to ripen fruit and sometimes cold is needed in certain fruit to complete the ripening process. So exactly is the same in life sometimes we may have to undergo various conditions that may appear to be unfavourable so that we “ripen” and are ready for the onward journey.

I wise person once said: “ I asked for Strength…And Allah gave me Difficulties to make me strong. I asked for Wisdom…And Allah gave me Problems to solve. I asked for Prosperity…And Allah gave me Brain and Brawn to work. I asked for Courage…And Allah gave me Danger to overcome. I asked for Love…And Allah gave me Underprivileged people to help. I asked for Favours…And Allah gave me Opportunities. I received nothing I wanted …Yet I received everything I needed!”

Accepting and enduring our condition and the Divine Decree of Allah Ta’ala can help us in not only shedding burdens of the past but to also win Allah’s pleasure. Suppressing our urge to blame others for the pains that we encounter by maintaining a positive mindset can help us maintain a less stressful life and promote healthy relationships.

“Nothing befalls a believer, a (prick of a) thorn or more than that, but Allah will raise him one degree in status thereby, or erase a bad deed.” (Hadith-Bukhaari )

Hardships and trials are part of everyone’s life. The important thing is for us to have the right attitude of trusting Allah and His plans when facing such hardships and trials. During such trying times, always remember that nothing happens without the Will of Allah. Second, we may not know that our trials and hardships may be part of a bigger plan of which we may have only limited knowledge. It’s only at a later stage when the bigger Plans of Allah reveal themselves to everyone. We can see an example of this from the following verse of Qur’an-Surah Yousuf that when the step brothers of Prophet Yousuf (peace be upon him) were taking him to throw him into a dark well, Allah revealed to Prophet Yousuf (AS) that,”Allah will bring about, after hardship, ease.” (Qur’an, 65:7) and this is exactly what happened.

Allah also reminds us:“…and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.” (Qur’an-Surah Baqarah: 216)

“There is a blessing in calamity that the wise man should not ignore, for it erases sins, gives one the opportunity to attain the reward for patience, dispels negligence, reminds one of blessings at the time of health, calls one to repent and encourages one to give charity and endure.”

Life is a learning curve and the challenges are there to make us stronger and to condition us and build us emotionally, spiritually and physically for the greater challenges that we will encounter tomorrow. Outwardly circumstances may be perceived as hardships but in reality they may really be blessings in disguise!