The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of Jema’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III has declared street begging by children, popularly known as Almajiri, unIslamic.
He has therefore charged the government, particularly at the state level to rise to their responsibilities of ensuring welfare of every citizen.
The Sultan stated these in Kaduna on Sunday while presiding over the pre-Ramadan meeting of JNI’s Central Committee, held at the JNI headquarters.
The event is an annual meeting meant to set modalities and guidelines for moon sighting and general muslims conduct in the holy month.
Delivering his opening remarks, the Sultan said, the meeting would be discussing issues that affect Muslims and Islam in Nigeria and other parts of the world.
While disclosing that, the issue of Almajiri would be among the challenges to address at the meeting, the Sultan said, “Almajiri does not represent Islam, but hunger and poverty”.
According to him, “Almajiri system of begging is not representing Islam and must therefore be distinguished from Islam. Islam encourages scholarship and entrepreneurship and frowns at laziness and idleness as exemplified by itinerant Almajiri.
“Therefore attempt, must be made to stop the practice Almajiri system of begging among Muslim faithfuls,” he said.
While noting that hunger and poverty were responsible for children begging on the streets, the Sultan charged the government, particularly at the state level to prioritise welfare of their citizens to address hunger and poverty.
He also charged the state governments to strengthen institution of ‘Zakkat’ and endowment to address wanton poverty.
Prominent traditional rulers and Islamic scholars were in attendance at the meeting.
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THE MENANCE OF ALMAJIRI IN NORTHERN NIGERIA
ReplyDeleteIn the core Northern Nigeria, millions of children lives on the Almajiri economics system. At night they performed an holy duty by memorising the Qur'an, and by day light they beg for food and money. In cause of my research I meet the Almajiris trapped in a cycle of poverty and extremist influences. They wake them up 3am or 4am to begin their quranitic studies 7am. In Northern Nigeria, over 7 million Almajiri children know little or nothing about british school system. Instead, they are sent to schools where they learn to recite the Qu'ran and are forced to beg at noon. But these children are in danger of being used for criminal activities, and they are even recruited into terrorist groups such as Boko Haram. If this children are given money to spend, whatever you ask them to do they will do it, regardless of the amount given. We represent stories around Nigerian children called Almajiri, with brand new content coming in. My aim is to find NGOs and what have you that will stand tall, understand and put to an end the sufferings of this little children. I believe this organization understand and will help to see to this situation.
My team and I have been able to do a Demo of how these children suffer around the street. We will love to have support to produce the full documentary that will make people understand the special need to put them in a proper learning environment, and off the streets.
Here is the link to view the Demo https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mdwbJTQFFw0
Yours Faithfully
OLUSOJI OLUWASEYE DAYO
+2348183300203
Seyestarphotography@gmail.com
Seyestarphotography Studio.