An Islamic scholar, Abu Mazeedatil Khayr Bn Saheed, has advised the Muslim parents to organise regular trainings on Islam at home to prevent their children from being indoctrinated with wrong ideology.
Ustadh Saheed gave the advice on Sunday in Abuja while delivering a lecture at a four-day seminar organised by the Organization of Tadhamunul Muslimeen (OTM) Federal Capital Territory (FCT) branch.
Speaking on “Understanding of Islam as a Protection Against Afflictions”, he said that such regular trainings and lessons at home would prevent the parents from being declared kaafir (unbelievers) by their children who had embraced wrong ideologies from outsiders.
The cleric, who is the Managing Director of De Minaret International, said only a clear understanding of Islam from the Qur’an (Holy book) and sunnah (authentic traditions of prophet Muhammad) could protect Muslims against confusion, turmoil, calamity or bewilderment.
“Without right understanding of Islam, someone will misbehave. Let me tell you, if you do not teach your child, the right Islam at home, someone will teach him outside, he will come home to declare you a kafir (unbeliever).
“We must belong to a right organization. There is no doubt about that. We must equally attend programmes. But I want to say that today this is not enough to rescue us from the prevailing challenge. At home, you must find time to initiate family taalim (home lesson).
“Most of those who embrace wrong ideology are sincere. They are in spiritual yearning. They just needed something to quench their spiritual thirst. But unfortunately, they landed in wrong place.”
He noted that many adherents of Islam, especially the younger population got lost after replacing eeman (faith) with amasa (emotion) while observing religious activities.
He said, “When you see Muslims going on rampage, destroying things, being involved in the pursuit of dangerous ideology, yet, they speak so much as if they are on the path of faith, it is because they can’t differentiate between the path of faith and the path of emotion.
“If there is a clear understanding of Islam from the angle of Qur’an and sunnah, a Muslim will know the limits of his action because everything has the limit.
“Allah will say in the Qur’an that this is my limit. So, don’t cross the limit. Fortunately for us, we clearly belong to a religion whose guidance is built on pristine intellectual legacy.
“You cannot just stand up and tell us this is how you want to practice your Islam. There is only one Islam with no brand. Scholars may disagree on issues. But there is only one clearly-defined guidance from Qur’an and sunnah.”
Ustadh Saheed added, “Qur’an and sunnah are enough protection for Muslims ideologically. So, if we have the right understanding of Islam, every step we want to take, we will weigh it with the prescription of Qur’an and sunnah. We will not be lost.
“What we want us to learn is that emotion cannot be a guide of a Muslim. Assumption cannot be a guide of a Muslim. Mere feeling and conjectures cannot be a guide. But our reference to Qur’an and sunnah.
“Shaytaan wants to mislead people. He wants message of Islam to confuse people. On this basis, the only thing that can protect people against this is strong and strict adherence to Qur’an and sunnah; which is the right understanding of Islam.
“Often, we seem to confuse emotion with faith. You might live under the influence of emotion and you think that you are devoted to faith. There is a clear difference between faith and emotion.
“When you do not use Qur’an and sunnah for your guidance, the moment you do not seek inspiration from the angle of Qur’an and sunnah, when you find yourself in a challenging situation, you will rather mobilise emotion and you think you are using your faith.”
He advised people again evil thoughts, saying “when you start thinking about negative things, you are easily guided to the path of that negativity”.
