The Chief Imams, Distinguished Leaders of Islamic Councils and Organizations present, Muslims Parents, the Lecturer of the Day, respected trainees as well as honourable members of G-MAPO MPCS Ltd, esteemed brothers and Sisters in Allah’s Deen, I welcome all of you with Islamic greetings As-salamualaykum Warahmatullahi Ta’Allah Wabarakatuh’.
It is imperative to note from the onset that as we enter the 21st century, Muslims are so looked down upon, and they are treated with disrespect and they are often suspect for terrorism. Muslims are also the most oppressed people anywhere in the world. Everywhere Muslims are bullied, detained, bombed and massacred with impunity. The Muslim countries are weak and are unable to do anything to defend themselves, their people and their fellow Muslims anywhere in the world have began to lose trust in their faith and their respective leaders at all levels. Worrisome indeed!
Distinguished brothers and sisters, common sense dictates that a Muslim country needs guns and rockets, warships and warplanes, armored cars, etc to defend its sovereignty. A Muslim country cannot depend on imported military equipment and other logistics, particularly from countries that are opposed to us. Muslims should therefore, think of inventing, designing, producing and test and use their own weapons of defense.
Practically, as you may agree with me, this goal cannot be achieved unless one has scientific and technological knowledge as well as skills i.e. the technical knowhow. Nevertheless, acquiring knowledge and skills is mandatory in Islam. Those who learn sciences, mathematics and acquire technological skills are therefore obeying and fulfilling the injunctions of Islam. To this extent, one would say those who oppose to this are not obeying the injunctions of Allah (SWT).
Interestingly, distinguished audience, there was a time in the history of Islam, when the Muslim countries were strong militarily and economically, and were advanced in the sciences and technology. During those glorious years of the Muslim civilization, the Muslims were not oppressed. Muslims were respected and feared. The Europeans, at that time, had to learn from Muslims’ new knowledge as well as those of the Greeks and others, which the Muslims had studied, translated into Arabic and enhanced. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) brought only one Deen from Allah (SWT) that is al-Islam. However, today there are many Islamic sects. They are the results of differing interpretations about Islam by different scholars and Mallams through the centuries.
Some of these interpretations and teachings are so different from each other that their followers actually accuse each other of not being Muslims. Indeed, they regard many of us who profess Islam as infidels. Because of the thousands of different interpretations of Islam and very many different sects, each claiming to be the true followers of Islam, the Muslims are methodically confused and disunited. Disunited, confused about Islam, fighting each other for power, lacking in essential knowledge and skills, misapplying their Allah-given wealth. Consequently, the Muslims of today have reached the lowest point in their growth and development in all ramifications.
Regrettably, respected trainees, the injunctions of the Qur’an and Sunnah are ignored completely, although these injunctions stress making judgment with justice. In addition, because we ignore these stresses on justice and seeking knowledge enjoined by Islam, we create an image of Islam that is uncaring and unjust. Islam has been misinterpreted and deliberately ignoring the teachings of Islam. It is because of this that Muslims of today are backward, lacking in knowledge, unable to defend themselves and their religion, and some Muslims are forced to leave Islam due to lack of Muslims empowerment and others have resort to terror in order to seek revenge.
Essentially, the Qur’an clearly states that Allah (SWT) will not change our fate unless we strive to change it ourselves (Q13v11). And so, we will come to be oppressed, to be attacked, bombed and killed, while our religion, Islam, is condemned as false by the Christian elite in the West even in the South, East as well as North.
To this end, G-MAPO thought it wise to act proactively and practically to proffer some solutions to these areas of our dilemmas. It is therefore, social responsibility to bridge these gaps by introducing and reviving the spirit of seeking knowledge and acquiring new skills and today we are here to learn how we can change our lives positively and economically through Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
It is a known fact that we are in a global village. Information in the form of oral, texts, graphics, audios, videos etc can now travel speedily than ever. Today, there is hundreds of Halal Islamic and Muslims websites we can visit, learn and get informed and reformed. Very recently, social networks are now the commonest ways of sharing resources and information such as Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, LinkedIn, Instagram, Blogs, Pinterest, Togo, etc. Islam can now0 be spread online through these channels without having to travel anywhere. Not all these may make sense to us if we refuse to acquire the necessary skills to face 21th century. I therefore, urge you all to listen very well, participate actively and ensure you go home reformed thereafter become a G-MAPO.
Brethren, in order to sustain this trend, G-MAPO wishes to call on all Muslims in Edo State and beyond to become its members. We envision an Islamic G-MAPO Microfinance Bank Plc. Imagine if this dream is realized and we have branches in all the 18 Local Government Areas in Edo State! That will mean 18-G-MAPO Micro-Finance Banks Plc. Imagine how many people this will remove from unemployment. That is where we are going insha Allah. It is only when we co-operate together, work together, pool our resources together (i.e. energy, talent, money, ideals, knowledge etc) we can truly help one another towards Al-Birr and Taqwah and not to help one another towards sins and vices. Let us fear Allah, as indeed, the punishment of Allah is severe. (Q5v2). “Truly, hunger is Poverty and poverty leads to Kufr and Kufr leads to Jahannam”. May Allah help us.
Jazakallahu Khairan, Wasalamualaykum Warahmatullahi Ta’Allah Wabarakatuh.

Here’s the first part of the series: http://simply-in-control.blogspot.com/2014/12/what-to-pack-for-hajj-part-1.html?m=1

You can click on the links in the article to find the other two detailed blog post. Lots of pictures included! :)

My reply is all praises to Allah 4 you have spoken truth. To profess Islam to fear Allah and the punishment he may justly issue to each of us; we are allowing Satan 2 shine division among we Muslims willingly. As Muslims following the Islam path we only have 2 open the Qur’an and Sunnah while being just with 1 another brings unity. Muslims taught the world knowledge inspired minds to elevate create. I have to agree with much of your written dialogue. peace b with you!

It was a blessed journey, Ma sha Allah because I’ve truly experienced all my Duas come true, alhamdulillah.

Wishing all that are embarking on this year hajj a blessed one & May Allah accept it as Hajj Mabrur, in sha Allah. Ameen.

http://ayeina.com/the-ultimate-packi…ah-must-haves/

http://ayeina.com/the-ultimate-packi…etter-to-have/

http://ayeina.com/the-ultimate-packi…-nice-to-have/

Also, feel free to download the printable PDF version for your convenience.