Supreme Council for Shari’a in Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to create community feeding centres for the vulnerable during the forthcoming month of Ramadan.
President of the council, Abdulrrasheed Hadiytullah, made the call in an interview on Wednesday in Abuja.
Hadiytullah also urged clerics to use their respective podiums during Ramadan to advocate for the establishment of an expansive social safety net to provide immediate relief to the poor.
“In this regard, we appeal to the Federal and State Governments to provide immediate relief and succour to the multitude of the disadvantaged against the stifling economic hardship.
“In addition, we call on all governments to also consider organising community feeding for them in as many centres, especially during the time of iftar (breaking of fast),” he said.
The religious leader also enjoined clerics to use the month of Ramadan to preach against engaging in violent protests against the government.
“We earnestly implore our esteemed Ulamah (clerics) to exemplify the highest standard of methodology during their Ramadan Tafseer activities.
“This is in view of the pivotal role of religious leaders in guiding the Muslim Ummah, especially during this sacred time of spiritual reflection and enlightenment.
“We should always remember the prophetic saying that the Ulamah are the successors of the Prophets.
“We, therefore, beseech you to employ a compassionate and inclusive approach to ensure that messages resonate with the diverse audience within the community.
“The Tafseer sessions should serve as platforms to promote unity, tolerance and understanding among followers, emphasising the core values of Islam, such as compassion, justice and kindness,” he said.
Hadiytullah urged Nigerians to strive for dialogue and constructive engagement with governments as means of expressing their concerns.
According to him, Islam encourages Muslims to seek solutions to problems with their leaders only through peaceful means.
He said: “Violence only begets more violence, and it is our duty as responsible citizens and followers of Islam to promote harmony and stability.
“Together, let us channel our grievances through peaceful avenues and foster a culture of tolerance and cooperation for the betterment of our society.”
Hadiytullah stressed the need for governments at all levels to take concrete steps to address incidences of corruption, leakages and wasteful spending.
“Corruption is like a cancer which destroys everything noble and undermines the principles of good governance.
“It is perfectly justified to ask our leaders: why should the ordinary Nigerian be made to bear the brunt of insecurity with trillions being spent on the security agencies without positive result or accountability?
“Why should the ordinary Nigerian suffer difficulties from power failure and its skyrocketing cost, with over 20 billion dollars wasted on power, without positive results or accountability?
“There is no doubt that we cannot reasonably expect solutions to issues bedeviling our lives until our leaders summon the political will to address the issue of corruption, whenever, wherever and whoever is involved,” he said.
NAN
