في الأسطر التالية بيان تعامل الإلوري مع السلفية على سبيل الذكر لا الحصر:

· الدعوة إلى تسليف الصوفية وتصويف السلفية: ومعنى ذلك أن تطبّق السلفية والصوفية قانون الأخذ والعطاء (خذ وأعط)، أي تأخذ الصوفية الإتباع من السلفية وتعطيها الزهد والتقشف وتزكية النفس والتبتل، والسلفية كذلك تأخذ الزهد والتقشف وتزكية النفس ومداومة الذكر من الصوفية وتعطيها إتباع السلف الصالح من الصحابة وتابعيهم.

وهذا يفهم من قول الإلوري حيث يقول: “الناس زعموني صوفيا، قلت نعم أنا صوفي ما دام التصوف مجاهدة للنفس ومهاجرة للسوء. وبعضهم زعموني سلفيا، قلت: نعم أنا سلفي ما دامت السلفية الاقتداء والإتباع للقرون الأولى في الإسلام لحديث “خير القرون قرني ثم الذين يلونهم ثم الذين يلونهم”، أنا سلفي ما دامت السلفية دعوة إلى التمسك بالكتاب والسنة من غير استهتار ولا استنكار، أنا سلفي من غير حمل العصا على أحد من السلف والخلف، أنا سلفي إذا كانت السلفية في الشريعة والعادات مرونة وتطورا لا جمودا وتزمتا، هذا هو التسامح الذي تعلمناه من آبائنا وشيوخنا...”^[1]

وقال أيضا: “تعالوا نكن مع السلفيين إذا كانت دعوتهم قائمة على حماية التوحيد من شوائب الشرك ووقاية الإيمان من شبهات الكفر أو كانت قائمة على دعامة الكتاب والسنة وإجماع السلف الصالح... ولا نكن مع أدعياء السلفية الذين لا يفهمون الدعوة قبل حملها وأدائها، الذين ينكرون فضل ذي فضل ويقيمون دعوتهم على الجور والإجحاف دون العدل والإنصاف...

تعالوا نكن مع الصوفيين طالما التصوف تزكية وتزهدا وتعبدا وتبتلا، وطالما كان التصوف شرحا لمقام الإحسان ثالث درجات الإسلام والإيمان. ولا نكن مع أدعياء الصوفية الذين يتعبدون على الجهل والهوى لا على العلم والهدى ولا يعرفون الكتاب والسنة ولا يهتدون سبيلا”^[2]

· الإنصاف في بيان أحوال دعاة السلفية: قال رحمه الله: “لكن أنصار السلفية من هؤلاء الدعاة يختلفون شدة ولينا وتعصبا وتسامحا، ويتفاوتون في أساليب التحمل والأداء وفي الفهم واللباقة، ولو كانوا يستعملون الحكمة والموعظة الحسنة في الدعوة كما هو أدب الإسلام لوقف الخلاف عند حد الرحمة وانتشرت الدعوة دون نزاع داخلي بين الدعاة. لكن كثيرا ممن يريد أن يخالف ليعرف وأن يهاجم من فوقه ليشتهر وبدأوا في التكفير على ما لم يرد نص قطعي على التكفير من أجله، والتكفير لا يقوم على الحكم الظني بل لا بد من الحكم القطعي الذي صدر قولا وفعلا يخرج صاحبه من الدين”^[3]

· التصريح بالاتصال بالمذهب السلفي: قال رحمه الله عند كلامه عن اتخاذ السبحة: “...كنت نشأت على نوع من الأذكار الصوفية التي أدركت عليها والدي وأساتذتي، وكنت أجد فيها الطمأنينة واليقين وأرى رؤيا صادقة من آثارها. ولما تركتها عند تحصيل العلم واتصالي بالمذهب السلفي فقدت ما كنت أراه وكنت أجده حتى خفت على نفسي من سوء الحال والمآل....ثم ذهبت بنفسي إلى اختيار أذكار من كتب الحديث فالتزمتها مع تلاوة القرآن، غير أني لم أستطع المداومة عليها كما كنت أداوم عليها أيام كنت في سلك الطريقة القادرية لأن الذكر مع الجماعة أوقع أثرا، وأخيرا وقفت على المأثورات للإمام الشهيد حسن البنا فالتزمتها ونصحت بعض الإخوان بها...”^[4]

· ثناؤه على أئمة السلفية: قال رحمه الله عن ابن تيمية ما نصه: “ ثم جاء ابن تيمية واجتهد في الأصول والفروع معا، ودعا إلى تطهير أصول العقائد من آراء الفلسفة والمتكلمين من المعتزلة والأشاعرة، ودعا إلى الاستدلال بالقرآن والسنة ومنع الاستدلال بالأدلة العقلية الفلسفية لأن ذلك ليس مذهبا للسلف الصالح...”^[5]

وقال رحمه الله عن الشيخ محمد بن عبد الوهاب: “... ونجح الإمام بن عبد الوهاب في دعوته الإصلاحية متعاونا مع آل سعود فنجحا نجاحا ملموسا باقيا إلى يومنا هذا”^[6]

· الدعوة إلى الائتلاف بين السلفية والصوفية: قال رحمه الله تحت موضوع يومئذ يفرح المؤمنون بنصر الله، فذكر بعض أيام, ومن ضمنها “ يوم يتعاون السلفيون والصوفيون والشماليون والجنوبيون على تحقيق الهدف الواحد والغاية الواحدة في جعل كلمة الله هي العليا وكلمة الكفر هي السفلى”^[7]

دور التصوف والصوفية ص6^[1]

الإسلام اليوم وغدا ص134^[2]

توجيه الدعوة والدعاة 16^[3]

توجيه الدعوة ص103^[4]

توجيه الدعوة ص31^[5]

الإسلام اليوم وغدا ص45^[6]

المرجع السابق ص 196^[7]

A child is not just a dependent. A child is an amānah, a divine trust. And every act of neglect, cruelty, or injustice against a child is not just wrongdoing against a human being; it is a violation against the very moral architecture of Islam.

To understand Islam’s position on child abuse, we must begin where all ethics in Islam begin: the life of the Prophet ﷺ

Consider the tenderness that defined his relationship with children.

· Anas ibn Mālik, who served the Prophet ﷺ for ten years, said: “He never once said to me ‘uff’ (a word of irritation), nor did he ever say, ‘Why did you do this?’ or ‘Why did you not do that?’”
This is not just kindness. This is emotional safety. This is psychological security.

· A baby once urinated on the Prophet ﷺ while sitting in his lap. Instead of anger, he simply called for water and cleaned it calmly. No shouting. No humiliation. No trauma inflicted.

· He would carry children, kiss them, and publicly express love. When he held al-Ḥasan and Usāmah ibn Zayd, he would say: “O Allah, have mercy on them, for I have mercy on them.”

This is the standard. Not tolerance. Not mere patience. Active, visible, overflowing mercy.

Children Are Not Accountable, But You Are

A foundational principle in Islam: A child bears no legal or moral burden (taklīf).

They are not sinful. They are not blameworthy. They are not to be punished for immaturity.

So when a child is beaten for ignorance, shamed for mistakes, or emotionally crushed for childish behavior, what is happening?

An adult is projecting responsibility onto someone Allah has exempted.

This is injustice in its purest form.

The “Broken Child”: A Hidden Catastrophe

A child whose spirit is crushed.
A child whose voice is silenced.
A child who fears instead of trusts.

The tragedy? Such children often grow into wounded adults, carrying anger, insecurity, and spiritual confusion.

Islam does not just prohibit physical harm. It seeks to prevent internal collapse.

The Five Necessities: A Divine Framework Against Abuse

Islam protects children through the higher objectives of the Sharīʿah (Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah). These are not abstract ideals, they are practical safeguards against abuse.

1. Protection of Religion (Ḥifẓ al-Dīn)

Every child is born upon the fiṭrah, a pure, natural inclination toward truth.

· “Every newborn is born upon the fiṭrah…”

Abuse corrupts this purity.
A child raised in fear may associate religion with pain.
A child deprived of moral teaching may lose their spiritual compass.

Islam commands nurturing faith with wisdom and compassion, not coercion and fear.

2. Protection of Life (Ḥifẓ al-Nafs)

Islam’s concern for the child begins before birth.

· The Prophet ﷺ ruled that even an unborn child has legal value (diyah).

· Punishment for a pregnant woman was delayed to protect the child.

· Mothers are obligated to breastfeed; fathers must provide.

· Killing children out of poverty is explicitly forbidden.

Even abortion is treated with profound seriousness, especially after the stages of development described in the hadith of 42 nights and beyond.

This is not just protection.
This is sanctification of life at every stage.

3. Protection of Wealth (Ḥifẓ al-Māl)

Islam fiercely protects a child’s financial rights:

· “Those who consume the wealth of orphans unjustly are only consuming fire into their bellies…”

· Guardians are forbidden from exploiting orphan wealth.

· A child’s property is withheld until maturity and sound judgment.

4. Protection of Intellect (Ḥifẓ al-ʿAql)

This includes emotional and psychological well-being:

· The Prophet ﷺ forbade lying to children, even jokingly.

· He insisted on fairness among siblings in gifts.

· Overburdening children with excessive study, denying play, or exposing them to harmful content (like pornography) all fall under intellectual abuse.

5. Protection of Lineage and Honor (Ḥifẓ al-Nasl wa al-ʿIrd)

Islam protects children from:

· Sexual abuse and exploitation

· Identity confusion (through unlawful reproductive practices)

· Humiliation through bad naming

Even privacy is legislated:

· Children must seek permission before entering private spaces at certain times.

The Forgotten Abuse: Neglect

One of the most powerful lines ever written:

“The orphan is not the one whose parents have died…
The orphan is the one with a neglectful mother or a distracted father.”

Absence is abuse.
Emotional distance is damage.
Being physically present but spiritually unavailable is a silent form of oppression.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever cares for daughters or sisters and treats them well, they will be a shield for him from the Fire.”

And in another narration:
Paradise itself is promised for those who show excellence to their daughters.

This flips the narrative entirely:

Children are not burdens.
They are pathways to Jannah, or evidence against you.

Conclusion:

Every time a child reaches for you, they are not just seeking attention.

They are asking:
Am I safe? Am I loved? Am I valued?

Islam answers on your behalf.

So be careful how you respond.

Because one day, before Allah, that small hand may testify either for you… or against you.

Ibn al-Qayyim said: “Allah revealed one hundred and four scriptures. He gathered their meanings in the Torah, the Injil, and the Qur’an; then He gathered the meanings of these three books in the Qur’an; and He gathered the meanings of the Qur’an in the Mufaṣṣal (the shorter chapters of the Quran); and He gathered the meanings of the Mufaṣṣal in al-Fātiḥah; and the meanings of al-Fātiḥah are contained in His statement, the Exalted: ‘You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.’”

In the above statement, Imām Ibn al-Qayyim unveils a breathtaking reality: Allah revealed one hundred and four scriptures, distilled their meanings into the Torah, the Injil, and the Qur’an, then gathered all of that into the Qur’an, then into the Mufaṣṣal (shorter chapters of the Quran), then into al-Fātiḥah, until the entire ocean of revelation was poured into a single drop:

“You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.” (Iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn).

This is not just a verse, it is the axis of existence. The heartbeat of faith. The declaration of absolute loyalty.

Why does this single statement carry the weight of all revelation?

Because loyalty lives within it.

“Iyyāka naʿbudu” You alone we worship: a pledge of devotion, like a servant standing with unwavering resolve before his King, cutting off every rival, every distraction, every false allegiance.

“Iyyāka nastaʿīn” You alone we seek for help: a confession of need, like a drowning soul that sees no hand but His, no refuge but His, no power except through Him.

And when the servant utters these words with truth, the Lord of Majesty responds, as reported in the sacred tradition: “This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks.”

What an exchange! A fragile human voice rises from the earth, and the Lord of the heavens answers it. Loyalty is never ignored; it is answered.

This is the divine law: loyalty is a bridge built from both sides.

The servant must be loyal, and the Lord rewards that loyalty with mercy, aid, and nearness.

And this law echoes through every relationship:

· The employee who gives his sweat and sincerity deserves an employer who honors it.

· The child who offers respect and love deserves a parent who nurtures it.

· The student who brings loyalty to knowledge deserves a teacher who elevates it.

Loyalty is a two-edged trust; when one side breaks, the entire structure collapses.

A bird cannot fly with one wing.

A covenant cannot stand with one heart.

And a world that betrays loyalty—whether to Allah or to one another—will drown in the ruins of broken trust.

So hold fast to loyalty before it becomes a forgotten virtue.

Guard it like a treasure buried in your chest.

Live it in your worship, your words, your work, your relationships.

Because in the end, loyalty is not just what you give,

It is what defines you.

In Islam, leadership is an Amanah, a sacred trust.

And every trust will one day be questioned.

Every authority will one day stand before Allah.

Every decision will echo on the Day of Judgment.

The tragedy of many organizations and even nations today is simple: people chase leadership, but they forget the weight of leadership.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ warned us long ago:

“When trust is lost, then await the Hour.”
The companions asked: “How will it be lost, O Messenger of Allah?”
He replied:
“When authority is entrusted to those who are not qualified for it, then await the Hour.”

Leadership collapses when it becomes an ambition instead of a responsibility.

It collapses when it becomes a privilege instead of a service.

Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him), one of the most sincere companions, once asked the Prophet ﷺ for a position of authority.

What happened next should shake anyone who desires leadership.

The Prophet ﷺ placed his blessed hand on Abu Dharr’s shoulder and said:

“O Abu Dharr, you are a weak man, and it (leadership) is a trust.
On the Day of Resurrection, it will be a cause of disgrace and regret, except for the one who takes it with its due right and fulfils its obligations.”
(Muslim)

Leadership is not a trophy.

It is not popularity.

It is a burden carried on the shoulders of the conscience.

On the Day of Judgment, many will wish they never held authority over people.

Leaders must therefore ask themselves a frightening question:

Do I want this position… or am I ready to answer for it before Allah?

Leadership Means Accountability

Islam does not allow leadership without accountability.

The Prophet ﷺ declared a timeless principle:

“Each of you is a shepherd, and each of you is responsible for his flock.”

A leader is a shepherd.

Your people are your flock.

Your decisions affect people’s lives, opportunities, and futures.

And one day, Allah will ask:

Why did you lead?
How did you lead?
Whom did your leadership serve?

True leaders do not fear criticism.

They fear standing before Allah with betrayed trust.

The Prophetic Model of Leadership

If the world is searching for leadership models, Islam already perfected one.

The leadership of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was not theoretical.

It was tested in crisis, conflict, pressure, and transformation.

A Leader Who Solves Problems

When the Prophet ﷺ migrated from Makkah to Madinah, the Muslim community faced overwhelming crises:

• Social division
• Economic instability
• Security threats
• Cultural conflict

Yet through visionary leadership, he transformed a fragile community into the most remarkable civilization in history.

He built systems.

He established institutions.

He created unity.

Leadership With Purpose and Structure

The Prophet ﷺ did not lead randomly.

He led with clear goals, rules, and systems.

He established the Sahifah of Madinah, one of the earliest constitutional documents in history, regulating relationships between Muslims, Jews, and other communities.

He invested in knowledge and strategy, even instructing Zayd ibn Thabit to learn the language of the Jews to strengthen diplomatic communication.

This is leadership with vision.

Strategic Wisdom in Difficult Decisions

The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah remains one of the greatest lessons in leadership strategy.

At first glance, many companions felt its terms were painful.

Muslims were sent back without performing Umrah.

The phrase “Messenger of Allah” was removed from the treaty text.

But the Prophet ﷺ understood something deeper.

Sometimes:

A specific harm must be tolerated to prevent a greater harm.

Sometimes:

Necessities permit what is normally prohibited.

Sometimes:

Preventing harm takes priority over achieving benefit.

And history proved his wisdom.

Hudaybiyyah became the doorway to the greatest expansion of Islam.

True leadership sees beyond the moment.

The Empathetic Leader

Power often hardens the heart.

But the Prophet ﷺ led with extraordinary empathy.

When he heard a baby crying during prayer, he shortened the prayer so the mother would not suffer.

Yet he also became visibly upset when someone prolonged the prayer in a way that burdened people.

Leadership is not about demonstrating authority.

It is about protecting people from hardship.

The Leader Who Listens

The Prophet ﷺ was a listener.

During the Battle of Badr, he accepted strategic advice from a companion regarding the location of the camp.

During the Battle of the Trench, he accepted the innovative military strategy suggested by Salman al-Farisi.

During Hudaybiyyah, when the companions struggled emotionally with the treaty, it was Umm Salamah whose wise counsel helped resolve the situation.

True leaders listen.

Arrogant leaders collapse.

Delegation and Trust

Great leaders do not try to do everything.

They build people.

The Prophet ﷺ entrusted Abu Bakr to lead the prayer.

He assigned roles in battles.

He empowered companions with responsibilities.

Leadership is not control.

Leadership is empowering others to succeed.

Justice Without Exception

Justice was non-negotiable.

The Prophet ﷺ declared a principle that shook the foundations of tribal privilege:

“By Allah, if Fatimah the daughter of Muhammad were to steal, I would cut off her hand.”

Justice in Islam has no elite class.

No favoritism.

No double standards.

Humility and Human Connection

Despite leading a nation, the Prophet ﷺ remained accessible.

He visited the sick.

He laughed with companions.

He shared moments of humor.

He lived among people, not above them.

This created something powerful:

A culture of love, trust, and loyalty.

And as leadership experts say today:

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

The Prophet ﷺ built a culture that survived centuries.

Do you want to be a leader?

The real question is:

Are you ready to carry an Amanah?

Are you ready to serve rather than dominate?

To listen rather than command?

To sacrifice rather than benefit?

To stand before Allah and say:

I honored the trust given to me.

The Final Message

Leadership in Islam rests on three pillars:

Leadership is an Amanah.

Leadership demands accountability.

Leadership must follow the model of the Prophet ﷺ.

Everything else is decoration.

Everything else fades.

But the leader who serves people sincerely will discover something extraordinary:

Leadership is not about power.

It is about earning the pleasure of Allah through service to His creation.

And that is the only leadership that truly lasts.

It is that I am calling you away from the very thing that has wrapped its fingers around your soul.

We breathe in pixels.
We exhale notifications.
Our hearts now beat in rhythm with the buzz of a phone.

So when someone says, “Take a leave from social media,” it feels like someone is saying:

“Stop breathing.”
“Stop living.”
“Stop existing.”

How do I buy and sell without it?
How do I fight poverty without it?
How do I survive without it?

These questions scream like alarms in the chest of every modern Muslim.

But my dear brother, my dear sister...

There is a cost to this comfort.
A price for this connection.
And the price is you.

Social media is a sweet poison,
beautiful on the tongue, deadly in the bloodstream.

Every scroll is a slice of your life.
Every “like” is another drop of your time.
Every notification is a thief picking your pocket in broad daylight.

It costs:

Your time
Your peace of mind
Your happiness
Your focus
Your contentment
Your creativity
Your spirituality

It feeds us FOMO -Fear of missing out- like a hungry beast,
And we consume content like a smoker consumes cigarettes
not because we enjoy it anymore,
But because the addiction has replaced the soul.

And worst of all?

As Muslims, it feeds us rivers of un-Islamic content,
images and ideas that stain the heart,
whispers that chip away at īmān,
distractions that turn the believer’s journey into a maze of sins.

A Muslim knows:
Every second on earth will testify for or against him.

Your minutes.
Your hours.
Your days.
Your scrolling…
Your likes…
Your shares…

Nothing disappears.
Nothing escapes.
Nothing is forgotten.

On the Day when legs tremble, and hearts burn with regret,
Even the scrolling will speak.

If social media has become a part of us,
Then let us be the ones who control it, not the ones it controls.

Here is where freedom begins:

• Use a healthy dose, not a drowning one

• Use it with purpose, not boredom

• Decide how much it deserves, not how much it demands

• Replace scrolling with searching

• Make your phone boring so your life can become interesting

• Put the phone away so your mind can return home

• Set boundaries, as you would with anything dangerous

But above all this…

Why should we always be consumers, slaves, dependents, followers?

Where are the Muslim:

Facebooks
Tiktoks
Instagrams
Softwares
AIs
Operating systems

Where is our digital independence?
Where is our ummah that once created:

Universities
Medical surgery
Algebra
Navigation sciences
Architecture, astronomy, philosophy, governance, brilliance?

How did the leaders of the world become bench warmers?
How did the inventors of civilization become the audience of others?

Because we divided ourselves until we lost sight of the real enemy,
and the enemy never lost sight of us.

Every day, Muslims are being harmed through the very tools we adore.

A Muslim software engineer at Microsoft — Ibtihal Aboussad — resigned
after discovering that Microsoft’s technologies help monitor Palestinians:

Their calls.
Their messages.
Their chats.
Their locations.

Do you think they ever truly escape when the machine knows every breath they take?

These tools are used against them.
Against their children.
Against their mothers.
Against their homes.

Yet we are here…
arguing over Tabdī‘…
fighting over Takfir…
battling over minor differences
while the world burns around us.

ENOUGH. WAKE UP. NOW.

If the wealthy among us
can waste millions on parties,
vanities,
cars,
clothes,
show-off ceremonies…

Then why can’t they gather their resources to build:

An Islamic social media
Islamic digital security systems
Islamic software companies
Islamic artificial intelligence
Islamic digital ecosystems
A safe space for the ummah

A place we scroll without sin,
where our minds breathe without corruption,
where our voices are not monitored,
and where our data is not used to destroy us.

We can do this.
We must do this.
And Allah will ask us why we didn’t.

This is not a message.

This is a cry.
A warning.
A call to action.
A tear-filled reminder that the ummah is bleeding,
and we are scrolling while it bleeds.

Wake up.
Before the next generation wakes up in chains.
Before we lose the last pieces of our identity.
Before social media blinds us from our mission.
Before we regret the life we wasted looking at screens.

Wake up now,
because the ummah needs you.
Your children need you.
Allāh is watching.
History is watching.
And time will not wait for you.

Open your social media for just one minute, especially in Yoruba Muslim circles, and you fall straight into a deep, raging pool of:

· People dragging the names of wealthy philanthropists through the mud;

· Others dissecting the turbaning of an Imām, boldly declaring right and wrong without fear or knowledge;

· Endless insults traded between Islamic educational institutions;

· Bitter fights about who is “Mubtadiʿ” and who is not
all of it cooked, garnished, and served with curses, slander, mockery, and spiritual destruction.

Have we forgotten the Prophet’s warning?

“Do you know who is poor? They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) said: “A poor man amongst us is one who has neither dirham with him nor wealth. He (the Holy Prophet) said: “The poor of my Umma would be he who would come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers and fasts and Zakat, but (he would find himself bankrupt on that day as he would have exhausted his funds of virtues) since he hurled abuses upon others, brought calumny against others, and unlawfully consumed the wealth of others and shed the blood of others and beat others, and his virtues would be credited to the account of one (who suffered at his hand). And if his good deeds fall short to clear the account, then his sins would be entered in (his account), and he would be thrown in the Hell-Fire. (Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukahri)

This is not an exaggeration.
This is not a metaphor.
This is a certainty. The Day of Accountability will come.

The Ummah is crying for teachers, mentors, scholars…
for people who will guide them through the Dīn with mercy and wisdom.

Yet today, the loudest voices belong to the harshest tongues
those blessed with ring lights, microphones, tripods, and editing apps,
but deprived of sincerity, manners, and fear of Allah.

And those who truly want to teach the Ummah?
They often don’t have the gadgets or platforms to spread the truth.

This is our tragedy.
This is our test.
This is our wake-up call.

Stop the division.
Stop the digital wars.
And TEACH the Ummah

Say it at home.
Say it in the masjid.
Say it online.
Say it until the noise dies.

The most painful part?
While the Ummah desperately needs guidance,
we are busy burning bridges instead of building them,
breaking hearts instead of healing them,
destroying reputations instead of preserving them.

The tears of the oppressed,
the shame of the defamed,
the silence of those harmed
All will rise against us on a Day when phones and fingers will testify.

Let us bury these dramas.
Let us silence this noise.
Let us rebuild the Ummah with knowledge, mercy, dignity, and responsibility.

Because Allah will ask us.
Because history will record us.
Because our children will inherit whatever we plant today.
And because the Ummah deserves better.

وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا
“And thus We made you a balanced nation.” (2:143)

This is not poetry.
This is not a slogan.
This is a mission.

A mission we are rapidly forgetting.

The Qur’an declares that the Muslim community is a “balanced nation”—a powerful, urgent reminder for us today. Imagine a nation that neither falls prey to the crushing weight of arrogance nor the shadow of inferiority. A nation commanded to stand firmly in the center, neither too rigid nor lax, offering justice, mercy, and unwavering equity. This is not just a description; it is a divine mandate to be the living embodiment of balance in a world spinning out of control.

Look around: the Muslim ummah is being pulled violently to the edges into the extremism that destroys, and the apathy that dissolves. Into inferiority that cripples potential, and arrogance that blinds the heart. Into cultural imitation on one side, and rigid isolation on the other.

But Allah placed us in the middle to be the axis the world returns to.

When Allah changed the Qiblah, He moved us from the edges to the center of the earth, to the Kaʿbah. A physical reminder of a spiritual command:
Stay balanced. Stay principled. Stay centered.

And He placed the verse of balance—2:143—
right at the center of the surah,
as if to say:
“Your power lies in the middle path.”

Muslims were never meant to live lopsided lives.
Not in worship.
Not in leadership.
Not in thinking.
Not even in self-confidence.

Inferiority complex? No.
Superiority complex? Also no.
Allah wants a believer with balanced dignity, confident, humble, steady, centered.

Today, the world is desperate for such voices.
For such leaders.
For such an Ummah.

Return to the middle.
Return to your mission.
Return to the balance Allah Himself gave you.

Because when the Ummah regains its balance,
the world regains its compass.

Al-Umūr bi Maqāṣidihā - Actions are judged by intentions.

Look beyond beauty, wealth, and attraction; these fade.

The intention that lasts is one rooted in dīn (select the religious one), sincerity, and the desire to build a peaceful, God-centered home. (And one of His signs is that He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest in them, and He put between you love and compassion; most surely there are signs in this for a people who reflect. Q30:21)

Your “why” shapes the love you create and the future you build.

Al-Umūr bi Maqāṣidihā - Actions are judged by intentions.

Donald Trump’s latest outburst on Nigeria has shaken global headlines. He accuses our nation of a “mass slaughter” of Christians, describes us as “a country of particular concern,” and warns that the U.S. military could strike “swiftly, fiercely, and effectively.”

He says Christians are being exterminated. He calls the killers “Islamic terrorists.” He vows to “wipe them out” if our government does not. And with a single phrase—“BETTER MOVE FAST!”—he paints Nigeria as a failed state on the verge of collapse.

But let’s pause.
Let’s breathe.
And let’s ask the question every thinking Nigerian should ask:

What exactly is fueling this narrative?

No Smoke Without Fire, But Who’s Lighting the Match?

Some say Trump’s anger is about oil, the black gold that keeps the world spinning.
Some say it’s about Nigeria’s warming ties with China and Russia, a threat to Western influence.
Others whisper about hidden political interests, religious manipulation, and global power games.

But I have seen something deeper and darker.

Years ago, while serving as a researcher for an Islamic organization in Northern Nigeria, I got firsthand information about some letters written by certain Christian leaders to the American government. Those letters begged for help, painting our land as a war zone where Christians were being hunted down.

At international conferences on peace and counterterrorism, some of my bosses and senior colleagues were forced to respond to defend our country’s truth before foreign experts who already had their narrative written.

And then I realized:
There are industries built on the chaos.
There are organizations that grow fat from war.
Some NGOs feed on fear.

The Business of Blood

Let’s speak plainly.

Every time a bomb goes off, someone writes a report and gets paid.
Every time bandits strike, someone organizes a workshop and gets funded.
Every time a village is attacked, someone requests a “relief package,” and dollars roll in.

If insecurity ends, some people lose their jobs.
So they keep the fire burning carefully, quietly, and lucratively.

The sad truth is that for a few, terrorism has become an economy.
And when international bodies—the U.S., the EU, and others—keep pouring money into “counterterrorism or counterpeace,” those benefiting from it will never pray for peace.

Because peace doesn’t pay.

A Warning We Cannot Ignore

Now, Trump is threatening us.
And tomorrow, others may follow.

This is how it starts, a narrative repeated, exaggerated, globalized, until it justifies foreign boots on African soil.

Our government must wake up.
Find those who profit from the bloodshed.
Expose them.
Deal with them.

Because the day Nigeria loses control of its own story, we lose everything.

There Is No Christian Genocide: Only a Nigerian Tragedy

The truth every honest Nigerian knows: the terrorists do not ask for your religion before they pull the trigger.
They kill Muslims.
They kill Christians.
They kill the poor, the hungry, and the helpless.

This is not a war of faith; it is a war on humanity.

Our Call, Our Prayer

Dear Nigerians, this is not the time for jokes or skits.
This is the time for du‘ā (prayer), for vigilance, for unity.

Let us not be deceived by imported narratives or the dollar-driven drama of NGOs. Let us not mock our own wounds.

The ruins of Iraq, Libya, and Syria are loud enough warnings.
When others play politics with your pain, silence is not wisdom. It is surrender.

We must tell our story truthfully, bravely, and loudly.
Because if we don’t, others will tell it for us, and they will tell it wrong.

Nigeria, the world is watching.
Trump has spoken.
Now, it’s time we speak for ourselves.

Idris Abdur-Rahman

“I will place upon the earth a vicegerent.” (al-Baqarah, 2:30)

That moment changed everything.

From the heavens came the announcement of human purpose, that you and I are not random beings wandering the earth, but delegates of the Almighty, entrusted with a divine mission.

Adam (‘alayhi al-salām) was the first.
We are his heirs.
And every one of us carries that same trust to represent Allah’s will on earth.

But here’s the catch…

Being Allah’s delegate doesn’t mean you can create as He creates.
You can’t give life the way He gives life.
You can’t take it as He does.

Yet you can—and must—reflect deeply on how Allah acts.
Because within His actions lie the principles of perfect leadership, creation, and delegation.

Look closely at how Allah lays down His Sharī‘ah, His divine system for humanity.
There’s wisdom in every layer, a pattern meant to be mirrored in our own lives.

When Allah sets His law, He establishes:

· A Desired Result — a clear goal, the Maqāṣid al-Sharī‘ah, those higher objectives that preserve faith, life, intellect, lineage, and property.

· Guidelines — the pathways and principles that lead us there.

· Resources — the Qur’an and the Sunnah, our ultimate tools for guidance.

· Accountability — because every soul will answer for its choices.

· Consequences — Paradise or Hell, depending on how faithfully we fulfill our duty.

That’s the Divine System.
And if you look around, every great civilization, every successful organization, every enduring family thrives on these same pillars.

Now here’s where it gets personal.

As humans, we’ve learned to study Allah’s creation; we looked at birds and learned to fly. We imitated their wings and built airplanes.
But how often do we study Allah’s governance?
How often do we examine the way He delegates and model our leadership, homes, teams, and systems after His?

Imagine what would happen if we did.

If every father, every mother, every leader, and every teacher began to delegate like Allah delegates purposefully, with structure, guidance, and accountability.
Our homes would be balanced.
Our institutions would be just.
Our lives would align with divine wisdom.

So, the next time you assign a task, lead a team, or guide a soul, remember the formula “DR GRAC.”

· D – Desired Results

· G – Guidelines

· R – Resources

· A – Accountability

· C – Consequences

This is more than management.
It’s divine mimicry: the art of leading like Allah leads.

So, pause and reflect: are you leading, parenting, or managing like a true khalīfah?
Or have you forgotten the blueprint you were meant to follow?

Because leadership is not about power.
It’s about trust.
It’s about reflecting the Divine in how you guide others.

And that trust—that amānah—is not something to take lightly.
It’s the very reason you were sent to earth.

We live in a world that glorifies speaking. Everyone wants to be heard, few want to hear. But in the noise of opinions, arguments, and endless notifications, a sacred Sunnah lies buried, the Sunnah of Listening.

Yes, Listening Is a Sunnah.

Not just hearing words, but opening your heart.
Not just waiting to respond, but being present with someone’s pain, doubt, or idea.

It’s shocking how something so powerful has become so neglected. Yet, Allah Himself — the Lord of all worlds — modeled it.

When Iblīs disobeyed, Allah didn’t silence him. He asked, “What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?” (al-Aʿrāf 7:12).

Iblīs responded, arrogantly arguing his case. Still, Allah listened before passing His judgment. What lesson does that teach us? That even when facing defiance, justice begins with listening.

Mūsā and the Power of a Listening Heart

When Prophet Mūsā stood before Pharaoh — the most tyrannical man on earth — he didn’t shout him down. He listened. He let Pharaoh speak his arrogance, his denial, his insults. Then Mūsā answered with calm truth:

“The Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, if you should be convinced.” (al-Shuʿarāʾ 26:24)

Pharaoh turned to his people and sneered, “Do you not hear?”
Yes, Pharaoh, Mūsā did hear. And that’s why his words carried power.

The Prophet ﷺ: The Greatest Listener

Our beloved Prophet ﷺ was a master of this sacred art.
He listened when others interrupted.
He listened when others doubted.
He listened when others were rude, wrong, or even hostile.

When a Bedouin grabbed his cloak and demanded, “Give me from what Allah has given you!”, the Prophet ﷺ didn’t get angry. He listened and gave.

When Ḥāṭib ibn Abī Baltaʿah committed what looked like betrayal, the Prophet didn’t condemn him. He listened and discovered mercy beyond appearances.

When ʿĀ’ishah sat beside him, narrating the long story of eleven women describing their husbands, he listened to every word, smiling at her details, her expressions, her excitement. At the end, he said softly, “I am to you as Abū Zarʿ was to Umm Zarʿ.”

That wasn’t just listening.
That was love in action.

What Happened to Us?

Today, we scroll more than we listen. We argue more than we understand. Parents talk at their children. Spouses debate instead of connecting. Leaders issue orders but never hear their people.

We have traded empathy for ego. And it’s tearing our hearts and our ummah apart.

It’s Time to Revive This Forgotten Sunnah

Listening is not weakness. It’s prophetic strength. It’s leadership. It’s love.

If Allah could listen to Iblīs, if Mūsā could listen to Pharaoh, if the Prophet ﷺ could listen to a desert Bedouin, then what excuse do we have for tuning out our friends, spouses, or workers?

Reviving this Sunnah could heal marriages, rebuild communities, and soften hardened hearts.

So the next time someone speaks, pause.
Look them in the eye.
Hold your tongue.
And truly, listen.

But before we taste the honey of that wisdom, let us marvel at the beehive that carried it.

Imām al-Bukhārī begins: from al-Ḥumaydī ʿAbd Allāh bin Zubayr, from Sufyān, from Saʿīd ibn Yaḥyā, from Muḥammad ibn Ibrāhīm al-Taymī, who heard ʿAlqamah ibn Waqqāṣ al-Laythī, who heard ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (may Allah be pleased with him), standing on the minbar, proclaim: “I heard the Prophet ﷺ say…”

A beautiful chain, link by link, like pearls strung across centuries. Scholars did not take this lightly. A ḥadīth was not just a saying; it was a trust, a diamond tested by fire. For them, five conditions guarded its authenticity:

1. The chain must remain unbroken, no missing links.

2. The narrator must possess a fortress of memory.

3. He must walk upright in piety and morals.

4. The narration must be free from oddities or blemishes.

5. And above all, it must not clash with stronger evidence or the established truths of the dīn.

Do you see, dear reader? This was not mere scholarship; it was a discipline of integrity. And if you gaze deeply enough, you’ll realize: the system of isnād is not only about ḥadīth. It is about life.

• When you seek fatwā, do you not need an isnād? Look for evidence. Look for a muftī whose memory is sharp, whose character is clean, whose verdicts are free from irregularities, and who does not contradict the giants of knowledge.

• When you hear the news, is it not the same? A true journalist must present proof, hold a trustworthy memory, and carry the lamp of morality. His report must not stagger under contradictions or clash with established facts.

• Even in whispers about another’s mistake, apply isnād! Ask: Where is the evidence? Is the reporter upright or tainted by rivalry? Does his account clash with the known character of the accused?

Oh, how luminous life would be if we wore the glasses of isnād before believing, before reacting, before judging.

And yet, pause! Notice something subtle: ʿUmar says, “I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying…” Do we not need to reflect on the art of listening, the discipline of hearing with presence? And when the Prophet ﷺ spoke, was it not with eloquence, mercy, and weight? Should we not then study the manners of speech?

This is still the doorway. We have not yet stepped into the treasure chest of “Actions are judged according to intentions.” That will come, but only after we learn to handle the keys: listening, speaking, transmitting.

Stay with me. The journey has just begun.

For intentions are not merely seeds of action, they are the soul behind every breath we take.

The spark? A statement by Mudirul Markaz, “Sheikh” Habeebullah Adam, who declared that he is for the Shīʿah of ʿAlī and went further to allege that the death of the Prophet did not grieve Abu Bakr and ʿUmar ﷺ. He likened his pain over the death of his father, Shaykh Adam Al-Ilory, to what he imagined they lacked.

But this was not the first whisper, nor the first shadow. His sermons and tafsīr have long hinted at it, his condemnation of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, his proud links with Shīʿah Iran, his harsh words against the noble Ṣaḥābah, and the loud applause of Shīʿah sympathizers online whenever he speaks. Now, the mask has slipped, and the wound has opened wide.

These claims are not just careless words; they are substantiated. They are a dagger aimed at the very heart of our dīn. They demand a response, not with anger or curses, but with the unshakable strength of evidence, wisdom, and clarity. And alhamdulillāh, many scholars have already risen with firm rebuttals. May Allāh preserve them, for indeed, they are the shields protecting Islam in our time.

Yet, amid this sacred duty, something else has emerged. Some have taken this fire not to extinguish it, but to fan its flames. They use it to build fame, hurl insults, and rain curses, turning the battlefield of ideas into a marketplace of egos. Their words are not medicine for disbelief but poison for the Ummah.

And on the other side, blind followers rally around the man at the center of it all. They are deaf to reasoning, blind to truth, and only eager to defend their idol, whether out of misplaced love or worldly gain.

But my heart aches most for you, the ordinary Muslim.
You who hear all these clashes, contradictions, and curses.
You who wonder: Is this Islam? Is this what the Prophet ﷺ left behind for us?

If I, a student of Sharīʿah who has studied to the PhD level, feel the weight of this confusion, then what about you? Sometimes I think: if I were just an ordinary Muslim, not trained in Islamic sciences, I might have walked away in despair. One day, you hear a fatwā from Agege, the next day a contradiction from Ilorin, another voice from Osun, and yet another from Ogbomoso, and other different places. Gbas gbos everywhere, and the layman is left drowning in doubt.

Islam is not a circus of curses and contradictions. Islam is clarity, guidance, and mercy.

So what should you, a non-scholar, do in times like these? Should you stay silent? Should you choose sides? Should you simply walk away?

That is why I have created something urgent, something needed:

Mentoring for Muslim Non-Scholars (MUNS)

This course is my humble service to you. In it, I will walk you step-by-step through:

· What to do when scholars disagree publicly.

· How to protect your faith from confusion and fitnah.

· How to anchor your Islam on unshakable ground, so no voice can mislead you.

· How to vaccinate your heart against the poison of doubt before it even enters.

Because yes, prevention is better than cure.

If you are tired of the noise, if you long for clarity, if you want your īmān to be safe amidst this storm, this course is for you.

👉 Click the link below and join me:

https://wa.link/87so8z

May Allāh protect us all from disbelief, strengthen our īmān, and make us among those who stand firm when the waves of fitnah rise.

Kindly watch this short video also: