By Yusuf Abdullah
By Yusuf Abdullah
In the
name of Allah Who states “We relate to you their story In truth; they were
youths Who believed in their Lord, and We increased them In guidance; We gave
strength to their hearts; Behold, they stood up And said; our Lord is The Lord
of the heavens And of the earth; never Shall we call upon any god Other than
Him: if we did, we should indeed Have uttered an enormity!” Q18:13-14. May His
everlasting peace and blessings be upon His noble servant, our master Muhammad
and his purified progeny.
The piece
for this week is on the expected role of youths in the society. The day as
observed in Iran was related to the birth of Ali Akbar, son of Imam Ali son of
Abi Talib, born in the 33rd year after hijra. I hope to look at his blessed
life and the significant role he played worthy of emulation in due course. I
had similar articles in the past, as the significance of the topic cannot be
overemphasized.
Looking at
the inevitable role of youths in the socioeconomic life, I decided to expatiate
on the youths' activities in general, and in the Islamic Movement. Generally,
the significant role they play as the most productive part of population, in
most societies is very apparent. Of the immense population size Nigeria is
uniquely blessed with, according to the 2001 National headcount, over 50% was
at its youthful age! With the statistics at hand, the country could strategically
manipulate other available resources such as oil, solid minerals and good
agricultural land for overall development. However our teeming youths has
relatively turned a menace than a blessing due to a number of problems.
YOUTHS AND
SOCIETAL PROBLEMS
Most of
our youths are unemployed. And the popular proverb says an idle mind is in the
devil’s workshop. So it is very bad to stay idle. A youth should wake up and
strive hard to get employed so that he or she could remain self-reliant and
help others for societal development. To solve this menace, government and the
private sectors as stakeholders should play more significant role to provide
empowerment initiatives and opportunities for the country's socioeconomic
stability. Drug abuse is another obvious problem where drugs are mishandled
without diagnosis and prescription of qualified physicians. Self-medication and
general misuse must be discouraged. Based on available statistics, the
phenomenon has reached an alarming rate especially in the North. Regardless of
the behavioral and psychological implications of this abuse, the youths are
very much engaged in this practice for misinformed decisions. Beside the
youths, some elderly people including women are also involved! The main effect
of this abuse is brain distortion which has catastrophic implication on the
socio-economic life of concerned individuals and the society. Indulgence in
such habits renders its victims to all sorts of criminal activities. Most of
the criminals in the society are drug addicts. So parents must play their role
to ensure that their children are brought up morally and academically upright
as the popular proverb says charity begins at home. Not the National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) alone, all hands should be on deck to stop the
unfortunate trend including self- medication and consultation of unfit medical
practitioners.
An
apparent economic index is the issue of poverty. According to UN data released
on November, 4th 2010; Nigeria was ranked 142 out of 169 least prosperous countries.
The UNDP has rated the country as 41st, in terms of human development, which is
based on education, wealth and life expectancy through human development index.
The GDP per head was 1,224 dollar compared to 9,812 in South Africa, 1,628 in
Kenya and 2,197 in Cameroun in 2010. While life expectancy was 48.4 year on the
average, 57.1 Ghana, 51.7 Cameroun, Benin 62.3, Uganda 54.1 and Lethoto 46. The
need for government to keep a close watch with practical steps on this trend is
very obvious. Looking at this problem, we must emphasize the need for youths as
the most productive part of our population to actively take part in the working
industry to aid societal development to the best of ability.
THE YOUTHS
IN THE ISLAMIC MOVEMENT
Despite
the fact that the youth and other fora of the Islamic Movement are equally
influenced by the nature of our deteriorating economy, however, they try to
improve the society's situation in all human endeavors owing to the insightful
guidance of the leader, Sheikh el-Zakzaky. Impressively, they focused and
determined. They immensely contribute towards the attainment of moral and
academic excellence for themselves and others especially at the lower levels.
They also disburse educational aids to institutions during their annual
programmes. No doubt, education is the foundation for all developments.
Therefore, every society wishing to develop must embrace education at all
levels to achieve the desired objectives. Generally speaking, moral aspect must
be strictly and sufficiently covered as the Prophet (S) said “I have been
assigned to enhance the ethical practices”. Imam Khomeini said "the
ultimate objective and outcome of the last prophet's mission was the
enhancement of ethical teachings and norms".
In addition
to that, the youths play significant role in promoting peaceful coexistence and
ethno-religious tolerance in the country. They unite with their counterparts
regardless of sectarian differences for societal reform. They organise annual
birthday celebration of Prophet Isah peace be upon him where Christians are
invited to share the Islamic view on the Messiah, cementing the
Muslim/Christian relationship as neighbours that should live peacefully with
one another. On the issue of self reliance and empowerment initiatives, the
youths play significant role in this direction helping themselves and others.
Most impressively, the initiative is gender-sensitive carrying sisters as part
and parcel with greater prospects especially as the philanthropic individuals
give their relative contribution.
Community
development project is another area where they actively participate in
multi-faceted dimension. These include provision of humanitarian aids to
orphanages and drainages/roads/cemeteries rehabilitation among others. While
commending the efforts of the youths in the general youth forum and Abul Fadl
al-Abbas foundation, I hope they will never relent in the least as consistently
encouraged by the oppressed leader, Sheikh el- Zakzaky (H). Allah says “…. and
whatever good ye send forth for yourselves, ye shall find it with Allah, yea,
better and Greater, in reward, and seek ye the Grace of Allah; for Allah is
oft-forgiving, Most Merciful” Q73:20
Evidently,
the youths are at the forefront in the quest for the unconditional release of
the revered leader, his wife and other disciples, after the untold atrocities
against the Movement since 2015 where about 1000 people were killed including
women and children. Allah states “… verily, never will Allah change the
condition of a people until they change it themselves with their own souls …”
Q13: 11
According
to a popular saying of the prophet “The best of men is he who brings benefit to
people” In the words of Imam Khomeini “we wish the well being of society, ever
since we have been following the footsteps of the noble prophets who were
assigned to attain prosperity for the societies”. Through measures like these,
we can attain the much needed societal reform as youth is the backbone for all
social changes. It is imperative to encourage the youths on the need to put in
more efforts for the attainment of moral and academic excellence, and to aid
-to their best- in community development and societal reform. However,
government, nongovernmental organizations and other stake holders should be
reminded on the need to put in more efforts as elders to support the teeming
youth for better result.
While
praying to Allah to reward the Sheikh for his guidance and encouragement in
this direction, I emphasize the need for his unconditional release along with
all his disciples.
Wassalamu
alaikum!
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