Gen Olanrewaju admonishes Muslim Ummah on lessons of Hijrah, as Lagos Central Mosque celebrates Islamic New Year

By BASHIR ADEFAKA

Former Minister of Communications, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (Rtd), has urged the Muslim Ummah of Nigeria to emulate the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on the lessons of Hijrah.

He noted that Hijrah, which happened over one thousand four hundred and forty-six years ago, was the migration of Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) from Makkah to Madinah and which marked the beginning of liberation of Muslims from persecution by pagans of Makkah to the embracement and ease they later enjoyed by the warm reception of the peoples of Madinah.

The DEFENDER reports that the Alternate Chairman of De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, a socio-cultural organisation for the benefit of Lagos State indigenes, was speaking from an informed background, whereby Muslims fell victims of persecution inflicted by pagans of Makkah for no other crime than they were believers in Allah and followers of his Messenger and Apostle in his own birth place of Makkah.

Olanrewaju recalled that the persecution suffered by early Muslims was deep to the extent, for instance, that Sumayyah, wife of Yasir and mother of Amaar, was struck with harrow on her head and it came down from her anus while Yasir unwillingly had to deny Allah due to the unbearable torture he was made to pass through for practicing Islam.

All these among other very difficult conditions, especially those of incessant disturbances of the peace and attempted inducement of the faithful, who had already submitted themselves to Islam in order to frustrate the Muslims and the Messenger of Allah, were the situation in the pre-Hijrah era until, after receiving the directives of Allah to move out of Makkah, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) had to move out with his followers, who were the Muhajirun.

The migration from Makkans’ disbelief and persecution into the Madinans’ receptive and fertilised minds for the acceptance and hospitality towards Islam, gives a deeper meaning and lessons that Muslims should learn from Hijrah and for what reason they should all unite as one body under one leader and one God, Allah to sustain the blessings of it, the Retired Army General said.

General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, who is also former General Officer Commanding (GOC), 3 Division Nigeria Army, was speaking as Chairman of Occasion during the Lagos Central Mosque’s Celebration of the Islamic New Year 1446 AH Hijrah, held at Idumota in Lagos Island, on Sunday July 14, 2024.

Specifically, Olanrewaju said, “Hijrah, as an established Islamic Calendar year, happened some 1446 years ago when the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) migrated from Makkah to Madinah.

“That was a milestone in the prophethood of the prophet as it marked the beginning of liberation for believers in Allah, who stood by him.”

Hijrah, he said, was the sacrifice of people of yesterday, which has become the ease the Muslims of today enjoy and then he ceased the opportunity afforded him by the all-important event to urge for peaceful coexistence among the Lagos State Muslim Community.

In his welcome address, the Baba Adinni of Lagos and Chairman Lagos Central Mosque Management Board, Alhaji Sikiru Alabi Macfoy, called for Lagos State Government to replicate the policies of Ogun and other states in South West and Northern Nigeria by considering declaration of public holiday for celebration of Islamic New Year even as he advocated same action to be taken by the Federal Government.

Chief Imam of Oluwole Ogba Central Mosque, Ikeja Division, Sheikh Sa’adullah Bello Olohunlalaro, who was guest lecturer at the event, acknowledged General Olanrewaju’s apt use of “milestone” for the description of Hijrah even as he, himself, defined Hijrah beyond the mere migration of Holy Prophet from Makkah to Madinah in more linguistic terms.

He said, “Hijrah in language also means to move from bad to good and to move from what is wrong to what is right.”

Continuing Sheikh Bello Olohunlalaro said, while underscoring the importance of the mosque in Islam with regards to Hijrah especially Lagos Central Mosque to the entire Lagos State community, recalled that, “The first thing the Prophet did on arrival at Madinah was to build the Mosque,” while the second was his way by which he built behaviour of Muslims and their relationship towards their Lord, Allah, then towards their fellow Muslims and then towards their fellow non-Muslim neighbours notably Christians, Jews and pagans.

Imam Bello Olohunlalaro went on to charge his audience to beware of hypocrisy towards any human being as, according to him, nothing destroy good works – like fire consumes wood – like hypocrisy.

“The atmosphere where hypocrisy operates does not bring goodness,” he said.

Expatiating the importance of mosque, he said Lagos Central Mosque had served a purpose of settling a lot of disputes, adding that there had been instances even when constitutional courts could not l achieve resolution, they had referred cases back to Lagos Central Mosque and “here in the Spiritual Council we have inshallah solved many of such problems and brought about lasting peace, even in cases of of land matters.”

He asked Muslim especially leaders to develop patience as tool for effective leadership, saying a leader does not jump at issues but pays attention and listen more than talking, adding that this was part of the lessons derivable from Hijrah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

He noted that the prophet did not allow sentiment overwhelm him even at the time of justified provocations and persecutions in Makkah.

Highlights of the event included the formal public presentation of the 1446 AH Islamic Calendar by Chairman of the Occasion and Special Guest of Honour, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (Rtd), who launched the calendar with a token of N250,000.

The calendar copies were produced by the Sikiru Alabi Macfoy-Lagos Central Mosque Management Board.

The Sunday event was well attended by Muslim dignitaries, Islamic clerics and women of virtues from across the length and breadth of Lagos.