Promise is a debt. Whoever makes a promise and refuses to fulfill it is definitely a hypocrite. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) once gave a succinct definition of hypocrisy in a way that was never known in history before his time. He said: “A hypocrite is recognizable by three factors: when he talks, he lies; when he promises he reneges and when he is trusted, he betrays”.
Mindful of that axiomatic Hadith, as a Muslim, yours sincerely always tries to avoid a situation whereby my attention would be drawn to the above quoted Hadith as a reminder. I am always conscious that death can come at anytime and, to avoid falling into the dragnet of hypocrisy, I always stand out for truthfulness in words and in action. Although, it is against the policy of ‘The Message’ column to serialize articles, nevertheless, continuation of an article under a different title is not antithetical to the norm of journalism as a profession, hence, the continuation of last week’s article, in this column, today, under another title is quite in order. Please, read on:
Preamble
It must have been puzzling to many ardent African students of Islamic history that though, the three oldest Universities in the world today, (Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt; Qarawiyyin University in Fez, Morocco and Zaytuniuyyah University in Tunis, Tunisia), are based in Africa, this continent of the black people is still trailing far behind the rest of the world in education and civilization. Not only that, it is also puzzling that two of those three mentioned Universities were christened, either in direct connection with names of women, or that of their actions. Al-Azhar University, in Cairo, for instance, took its name from that of ‘Zahrah’ (meaning bright rose) which was the alternative name for the last daughter of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), called Fatimah. Qarawiyyin University, on the other hand, was directly founded, first, as a Mosque, between 857 and 859 CE, by a woman called Fatimah Al-Fihri, before it became a teaching Centre that eventually paved way for what was tagged the golden era of Islam in education and knowledge. Linking those institutions to women’s names and activities could not have been by accident. It was rather an affirmation of the global recognition accorded those primordial women for the roles they played in the educational upbringing of children especially at tender age. It is also an historical confirmation that certain African women had played leading roles in the field of education in the past and they deserved to be emulated. Thus, as it was in the past, so it is in the present.
Explanation
Perhaps naming those institutions after certain women because of their dignified pedigrees or in recognition of the educational roles they played may somehow explain why the unique Islamic Centre named ‘Ayisat Aweni Raji’, which was recently commissioned in Iseyin, is named after a woman.
For the information of thiose who care to know, ‘Ayisat Aweni Raji’ is the name of the mother of the provider of that Centre sited in Iseyin. Incidentally, however, the woman demised early last year (2021) while the project was rapidly progressing to advanced stage and, she could, therefore, not live to witness the commissioning of the Centre. Allah Akbar!
Who is the Provider of this Centre?
The visionary provider of ‘Ayisat Aweni Raji’ historic Islamic Centre is a Nigerian Lawyer with a unique mindset. His name is Ahmed Adeniyi Raji, a senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). He graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, and, was called to Nigerian Legal Bar at the Nigerian Law school, Lagos, in 1988. He later proceeded to Kings College of the University of London in the United Kingdom (UK), for a Master’s Degree in Law.
Barrister Raji practiced law in Shinkafi Kusamotu, Olojo and Co. Chambers for about 11 years including the one year of Nigerian Youth Service Corps (NYSC). During that time, he convincingly proved his mettle as a brilliant young man before he went ahead to establish his own Law firm in 1999. That was the time he started alleviating poverty in Nigeria, in his own little way, by employing younger Lawyers for training and as partners in his Chambers. Today, that Chambers, which is vivid in Abuja, Lagos and Kano, has become a frontline model in the practice of Law in Nigeria.
Areas of Practice
His areas of Law practice include: Litigation; Arbitration; Mediation and Conciliation; Criminal Law; Banking and Corporate Finance; Election Matters; Capital Market; Administrative and Constitutional Matters; Maritime and Admiralty as well as Telecommunication and Debt Recovery. Barrister Raji is not just a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, he is also a Fellow of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) and Certified Capital Market Solicitor.
Other Activities
Besides the practice of Law, Barrister Ahmed Raji also served the country as an appointed Resident Electoral Commissioner for eight years from 2003 to 2011, in five different States. His decision to found an Islamic Centre is not just a way of showing gratitude to the Almighty Allah for endowing him with bountiful resources but also a confirmation that elevation of Islam to a lofty height in Nigeria has consistently been by the elite rather than the clerics. Virtually all the Muslim Organizations in Nigeria today were founded by elites and not by clerics.
The Nigerian Mosque: Ayisat Aweni Raji Islamic Memorial Centre
Why Founding Islamic Centre?
One of the most probing questions that are likely to throb the minds of certain inquisitive people about ‘Ayisat Aweni Raji’ Islamic Centre is why did Raji opt for such a non-profit-making venture with such huge resources. The answer to that question is not far-fetched. In every well-meaning man or woman of substance, there is a combination of instinct and foresight which often culminates in a worthy legacy, if well managed. Barrister Ahmed Raji cannot be exempted from that class of people. With the establishment of a glorious Centre like ‘Ayisat Aweni Raji’, in Iseyin, he has wonderfully killed two birds with one stone. Not only has he lifted Iseyin, which is his city of birth, from national obscurity to international limelight, he has also illuminated the tunnel on the way of his mother’s journey to eternal life through her transit in the grave. There is a great lesson in this for all blessed children who are yearning for the mercy of Allah.
Iseyin Before and Now
Before now, Iseyin was only known, mostly in the South West region of Nigeria. But with the provision of this historic Centre, which is accorded a website that is reachable in all parts of the world, the expectation of a crescent graduating into a full blown, illuminating moon, has become an irreversible reality. And, with that, the insignia of the provider of that Centre is indelibly being assured on the rock of life. If a crescent of hope could grow into a full blown moon without experiencing an eclipse, who says the moon itself cannot flow beneficially in its orbit without encountering an eclipse? For those who are sincerely interested in this historic Centre and are ready to benefit from its global tentacle, the link of its website is as follows:
https://ayisatawenirajiorg/about/
Meanwhile, the grandiose photograph with which this article is illustrated is just a part of the wonderful project and not the whole of it. To ascertain its complete outlook for now, the Centre’s website is the right compass with which to find the way facts and figures.
Prayer
Let us pray the Almighty Allah to repose Mama’s soul in eternal bliss and grant his children and family the fortitude with which to surge ahead smoothly in life with His divine mercy. Amin!
Originally published on The Nation Newspaper, “THE MESSAGE” today yawmul Jumu’ah 25th of Jumadal-Akhirah, 1443AH (Friday, 28th of January, 2022).
