Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has urged Muslims to be fervent in prayers, and also to vote for credible and visionary leaders at the polls.
He spoke over the weekend at the 1444AH Annual Mawlid Nabiyy celebration organized by Ashraf Islamic Foundation in a lecture series themed: “Islamic Perspectives on Elections and Good Governance”, held in Abuja.
Represented as the guest speaker on the occasion by the Coordinator, Centre for Community Development, Kwara State University, Malete, Ustaz Muhammad Awwal Olohungbebe, said: “Given that many Muslims feel that Islam mandates political engagement as part of religious practice, Islam will continue to play a role in politics and public policy.
“As far as Nigeria is not a Sharia state, Muslims must be realistic, we should not go against what Quran and Hadith have said, and at the same time, we should not let go of our rights as human beings. We should decide together who is going to be ruling us based on the value and virtues we have created for ourselves. We have to vote and be part of the process, not just the voting we have to be voted for as well, we need Muslims at the helm of affairs, not just for them to protect Muslims but to enshrine justice and fairness to all the people not necessarily Muslims alone.”
Stressing what is important to Muslims in democracy, he said, “who made laws is very important to Muslims and laws are to be made according to the Quran and the teachings of the Holy Prophet’’
Espousing the differences and commonness between democracy and the Islamic system of government, he said: “In Democracy, laws are made by human beings from particular persons representing a certain community or constituency’’.
He pointed out that Muslims should not always think about themselves alone, saying: “If a Muslim is always thinking about Muslims, then such a person is no longer a Muslim, you have to be thinking about every other person, humanity first. As a Muslim make sure that everything you do is being guided by the Quran and Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad.”
Earlier, the founder of Ashraf Islamic Foundation, Imam (Dr.) Sharafudeen Abdulsalam Aliagan said: “There is much in Islam and Islamic tradition that is favourable to making democracy the vehicle for delivering good governance, such as social justice, economic welfare, and religious freedoms. I am convinced that Islam is not a barrier to democracy, but instead a facilitator of democracy, justice, and tolerance.
“For that to happen, Muslims must revisit their sources and understand them without a bias against things that they erroneously labelled as Democracy is inherent to Islamic values and Islamic historical experience’’.
Speaking on the leadership quality of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, he said: “The Prophet (PBUH) was a successful leader because he was patient, kind, just and truthful. These traits not only allowed him to lead better, but they also made him a good humanitarian, which is the most a good leader we can hope to be.
Aliagan said, “The foundation has been in existence for the past six years and has been organizing this kind of programme, most especially bringing people together at least two times a year, one, Prayer for the nation that usually comes up during Ramadan and Maolud Nabiyy. We always sit together to see what is contemporary that can make up a theme that will benefit Nigeria as a country and Nigerians as people, that is why we have today’s theme as “Perspectives of Islam on Election and good governance”.
