The concept of fisebililahi has been grossly abused, especially in Nigeria. We don’t pay for services. We don’t encourage each other. We believe it must come to freebies yet those we give such free services have been paid hugely.
If a Muslim teacher or Alfa comes to me asking for my daughter’s hand in marriage, 9 out of 10 I may turn him down. This is because Mallams or Alfas here live on fisebililahi. We don’t pay for their services. That’s why at every opportunity they get they turn it into a bazaar. Owo tafsir. Owo walimat. Owo this and owo that. Meanwhile, outside Nigeria they’re respected and highly paid. Some even teach via Skype and earn mad cash
We must change all that
I did stuff for an Islamic group recently. They had many as sponsors and placed them on their banners and site. Yet me who is giving my services free wasn’t considered. My online logo was missing. That’s how low we get
I was called by a member of this group back then. See the surprise I got when I was leaving. Walahi I wasn’t expecting a dime yet they dashed me correct cash. His father also gave me something and made dua for me.
Recently, I travelled to a town. Outside Lagos. I had to hire a driver to take me in my own car as I have laid mine off. I paid him 10k. Fed him. Bought fuel. Those guys didn’t give me a dime. Not a dime. I travelled all the way. So I said. This MUST stop
Then another group approached me. To talk to a small undergraduate group in a camp. So I said, I will do it for free. But you must pick me up and bring me back. They agreed. So, in sha Allah we will do that tomorrow.
We have a complex. We treat our own sometimes with disdain.
Our Islamic teachers here are never respected. Same thing we can easily get someone here to teach we will go to abroad and bring one oyibo even African and pay their flight and that of their family and team members. Yet when it’s us here not even a thank you
I am a strong believer that this is my calling and I have been addressing this even outside Nigeria
I have since started charging for stories and opinions. You have to pay. But we do all for our deen freely. Yet when you call some to clarify issues they either don’t pick or return your call. But when a foreign media calls them they open their mouth so wide that I can see their bellies.
It’s a shame and sad
But who am I? I’m Sulaiman, son of Aledeh. I will mind my business my way. I will be blunt when I need to. I will be fair to all and also hit hard at what’s not being properly handled
You’d be amazed that Muslims have hurt me the most in business dealings than non muslim.
The prophet of Islam S.AW wasn’t a Muslim when he was that honest. It wasn’t even Muslims who named him Al Amin.
I used to think like some.of us till I got bitten not once, not twice but loads of times by Muslims. We must grow our base. We must appreciate our teachers of faith and help them.
Would you give you daughter to a mallam who has no money? Doesn’t the mallam stay in a house? Who pays for his rent? What about his wife? And children? We need to change. Sadly, our imams haven’t helped matters. Today, many don’t preach on contemporary issues. They still want to tell me about hijra. They want to tell me about battles of badr, Uhud and more.
We are so busy that the only time most of us have is during Juma’at yet when we come there we don’t get the real messages. We go back empty. Not recharged.
It’s same with the other faith. Who wants to know how David killed Goliath? I am Joe. I go to the bar. I meet Nneka. She’s dressed in skimpy clothing. We rock the party. I go to church to get recharged and ask God for guidance and lo and behold Nneka is there. Still in such clothing. It’s time for worship. She wriggles and twerk to the beat. I’m moved and excited. I miss my “salvation” all because the church is like my club. That’s almost what our mosques are gravitating to.
The messages aren’t coming. The Qur’an is a complete manual. Whatever is happening today has been treated in it. Preach it and link same with examples yet these ones will still go same way our forefathers were doing the khutba.
Keep relationships and grow them. Don’t also shut doors against non Muslims
May Allah forgive us. May Allah guide us. May Allah guard us. Bless us and redirect us to his path…aamiin.
Sulaimn Aledeh
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