Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious; for thy Lord knows best, who have strayed from his path, and who receive guidance. (Q. 16:125). The above mentioned verse explicitly set the tone for the intent and principles of religious teaching in Islam. Thus, we must call all to the Way of Allah, and explain His Message to them in plain and simple language devoid of rancour, vindictiveness, insults and negative insinuations. This, we must do, with humility, well-defined objectives, decorum, wisdom and discretion. It is probably for the simple reason of being a point of reference to humanity that Allah places a great duty and responsibility on Muslims for all time. He says in Q. 3: 110 that “You are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in God.” In short, Muslims are, to rise above faith, to exhibit a sense of exemplary leadership in doing right and in eschewing wrong. The teachers or Muslim clerics need to have these qualities to be able to operate effectively in this very important arena; for the message they deliver should reverberate well with the people who listen to them. Their teachings in recent times however make many to pose questions as regards their intent, motivation, qualification and training. Considerable segments of their teachings seem to assume dimensions that smack of attacks and debasing of personalities, settling personal scores and gaining cheap popularity. In addition, it does appear they try to portray how much one knows and how little the other knows thereby defeating the object of religious teaching in Islam. Recent appeals to radio stations and clerics of different Islamic religious denominations in Tamale and elsewhere by the Police to refrain from engaging one another in war of words as they carry out their activities in tafsir (Quran exegesis) during the forthcoming fasting month of Ramadan is timely and very refreshing. It is however a worrying development because Ramadan “is the (month) in which was sent down the Quran, as a guide to mankind, also clear (signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong)…” Q. 2:185. If teachers of the religion of Islam should choose to use the blessed month to do the opposite, the Muslim community as a whole ought to concede failure and seek a new formula of dispensation. The commentary run by A. Yusuf Ali on Q. 16: 125 should suffice for the posture of every Muslim teacher who is a vicegerent of the religion of Islam and who honestly and openly desires to communicate the word of God. He says “our preaching must be, not dogmatic, not self-regarding, not offensive, but gentle, considerate, and such as would attract their attention. Our manner and our arguments should not be acrimonious, but modelled on the most courteous and the most gracious example, so that the hearer may say to himself, ‘The man is not dealing merely with dialectics: he is not trying to get a rise out of me: he is sincerely expounding the faith that is in him, and his motive is the love of man and the love of God’.” It is important that our religious teachers demonstrate a high sense of responsible and transformational leadership at this material time by moving the Muslim community in Ghana and beyond to the next progressive level. They need to move away from very peripheral doctrinal concerns to address the relationship between religion and man’s way of life. The Holy Quran is a book for all time and is replete with solutions to many of the development challenges that confront as today as a people and as a nation. These are the issues which need to take a centre stage as we attempt to explain the verses of the Quran with the view to providing practical solutions to these human challenges and satisfying the Will of Allah. As we begin to fast the month of Ramadan, let all of us particularly the religious teachers, call to mind the responsibility Allah and His Messenger (SAW) have placed on us and act accordingly. Ramadan is a blessed month; let us seek to bless so that we be blessed. May we begin the month in Allah’s name and end in His name; and may He also bestow on us and on our nation peace, mercy and blessings even as we begin the Ramadan fast. The writer is a student of the Graduate School of the University of Professional Studies, Accra.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 08:45:26 +0000
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