Hot SourceHammed Shittu in Ilorin Ahead of 2027, renowned scholars, imams, traditional rulers, students and Muslims from different parts of the country have called for a unified Friday sermon across central mosques.
This, they believe, when properly utilised, mosques could once again produce pious leaders and scholars as they did in the early history of Islam.
The scholars, Imams and other Muslim leaders stated this at a one-day second annual Imam’s Conference held in Ajase Ipo, Irepodun local government area of Kwara state over the weekend with the theme; “The Mosque, the Imam and Da’wah, organised by Daarus-Sa’aadah Islamic Centre.
In his lecture on “The Role of the Mosque in Building the Ideal Muslim”, renowned Islamic scholar, Ustadh Dhikrullahi Shafii, said that the mosque is not limited to being a place of prayer.
According to him, Masjid is historically a centre for decision-making, social welfare, refuge, including treatment of the sick.
He said that the three aspects of the theme had been largely neglected in contemporary Muslim communities, with negative consequences for the Ummah.
He described the Imam as the principal of the mosque whose role goes beyond delivering stories.
“Rather, it requires deep grounding in Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh and global issues”, Shafii who is the Grand Mufti of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), said.
He emphasised that no single individual could master all branches of Islamic jurisprudence and, thus, advised Imams and scholars to specialise in particular fields while working together for the benefit of the community.
The mosque, he noted, must be repositioned to serve the Ummah fully, including the creation of committees to address the needs of children, women, the aged, marriage, naming ceremonies and conflict resolution.
He said when properly utilised, mosques could once again produce pious leaders and scholars as they did in the early history of Islam.
Shafii also recommended that the conference should be extended to two or three days in order to deepen its impact, with a communiqué issued and adopted by mosques across the state for implementation.
In his presentation on “Da’wah without Bitterness: Etiquette of Disagreement in Islam”, Dr. Sirajudeen Bila Al-Asra, underscored the importance of tolerance and humility in preaching.
He urged scholars and preachers to embody patience and wisdom in resolving disputes, stressing that Islam does not condone bitterness or arrogance in its propagation.
The Chief Imam of Ajase-Ipo, Shaykh Aliyu Taofeeq Atoloye, who chaired the occasion, said the programme had continued to impact positively on the intellectual and spiritual growth of Imams and scholars.
He described this year’s theme as timely and noted that participants benefited from the exchange of ideas on how mosques could be harnessed for more than just daily and weekly prayers.
He added that the conference provided an opportunity for networking among Islamic scholars across the country.
The monarch called for extension of the programme to three days in order to maximise its benefits, and described it as a blessed exercise that would leave a lasting impact on both scholars and their followers.
Founder and sponsor of the programme, Alhaja Rahmat Mojisola Salih, a Lagos-based businesswoman, recalled how her journey into philanthropy was inspired by her grandmother, who taught her the value of dedicating part of her daily earnings to the service of the mosque.
She narrated how, as a child, she spent a portion of her profit from hawking bread and other items to buy items for cleaning the mosque.
According to her, that early training shaped her conviction to dedicate her wealth to the promotion of Islam and the welfare of society.
She urged other wealthy individuals to emulate the gesture towards promoting Islam.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, in his goodwill message, described the event as highly educative.
He appreciated the organisers for championing a noble cause aimed at equipping Imams and scholars with deeper religious knowledge for the advancement of Islam.
