Ending the insanity along Kaduna bye-pass

With great hope and concern I take to write this piece to remind or call the attention of the Authority of MALAM KHAMIS JUMMAT MOSQUE in Kaduna city, along bye-pass, for inconveniencing commuters during the Friday congregational prayers. I am very sorry for using this medium to address you, but I have no option. You should also know that your mosque is very close to the main road, which links Kawo and Abuja-Junction, a very busy and important road within the metropolis. Therefore, more caution should be put in place.

I am, not only a resident of Kaduna but also a bonafide of the great state and also a Muslim, who respect Sheikh Khamis Almisry, his ideologies and way of his preaching. I am always happy with the way he presents his sermon every blessed Friday, even though I am not a regular attender of the mosque.

One fateful Friday (10th, March, 2017), when I was going back home from Kawo along the Kaduna byepass, I was gotten stuck by the mosque by 1:15pm while the Friday Prayers was almost started. A commuter just alighted off from his car and informed us (the owner of the cars behind him) that the car could not start and we have to divert, and unfortunately there was no way to. He was holding his praying mat, it seems like drama, he just joint the line in prayers without giving us any listening ear and prior to that, about five people from the car alighted and took their positions in the prayers, which also indicated that something was plan therein. I was in hurry to drop my kids at home and also to reach to another mosque to pray and also to meet up with a business partner there. The most baffled thing is when some children volunteered to push the car at that moment, the guy claimed that his car is “unmovable”. I was just looking with dismay and unable to utter a word. Eventually, the engine of the car started immediately after the prayers. What a selfish and myopic thinking of these people? What massage were they sent to our Christian brothers?

Is that what Islam said about others rights? My call should go directly to the mosque authority. Please we should all know that Islam is all about benefits for humanity in this world and hereafter. That is, there must be justice, compassion, wisdom and goodness in all our rulings. Any teaching or ruling that contrary to these is not an Islamic law, even if someone claims it is from Islam.

The authority of the mosque might be unaware that such kinds of tribulations are taking place, but what that man did was purely injustice and his thinking might be, he was at the mosque to serve Allah at all cost, even at the detriment of others, which he may end up invoking Allah’s wrath.

Finally, I want the authority to put more efforts through HIZBA guards in stopping such occurrences as Kaduna Airport has now become a place for International landing and the mosque is located at a delicate place and the only route/way for going to Abuja by road from the Airport. So, if we continue upsetting travelers, we are indirectly invoking Allah not to accept our religious rites. Moreover, Kaduna State can intervene and if that happened it would be another story. Abdullahi Yusuf, abdallayusuf86@gmail.com Kaduna,