Families, schools key to tackling Nigeria’s insecurity – Senegalese Islamic scholar
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
A foremost Senegalese Islamic scholar, Shaykh Muhammad Allaodeen Cisse, has declared that Nigeria’s seemingly intractable security challenges cannot be solved by government action alone, stressing that families and schools also have a central role in raising children on the path of peace and moral responsibility.
Shaykh Cisse, who is on a visit to Nigeria, while fielding questions from journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, opined that lasting security could only be achieved when parents deliberately guide their children at home, and also when schools prioritise the teaching of peaceful coexistence and good character.
He said: “This is not a problem that can be solved by just the government. Charity begins from home. Everyone should start the change and sensitisation from their respective homes.
“We should guide our children towards the right path, the path of peace. Again, we should focus on our schools and ensure that our places of learning are teaching peaceful coexistence.”
The scholar, who is the grandson of the global Islamic icon, Sheikh Ibrahim Niyass, said Islam stands firmly against extremism and violence, warning against judging the religion by the actions of a few misguided individuals.
“Islam preaches against extremism and violence. People should not judge Islam by the actions of a few misguided people because they do not represent Islam,” he said.
He added that peace occupies a central place in Islamic teachings, noting that the Qur’an repeatedly emphasises tranquility and harmony. According to him, Almighty Allah enjoins peace and peaceful coexistence, underscoring Islam’s identity as a religion of peace.
Speaking on interfaith relations and humanity, Shaykh Cisse said religion should be understood as a personal relationship between an individual and Almighty God, stressing that there is no compulsion in faith.
“This life is for all of us regardless of our religion, but our religion is personal,” he said.
He recalled an encounter involving his grandfather, Sheikh Ibrahim Niyass, who once extended a hand of friendship and business partnership to a Christian, despite differences in belief.
“My grandfather told him that we should see this world as a garden where you can relate with whoever you meet there, and thereafter you can go back to your home, which is your mosque or your church,” he said.
On the challenges faced by those propagating Islam, Shaykh Cisse noted that opposition and hardship are inevitable, adding that even revered scholars of the past endured severe trials.
“There is no way you will want to propagate Islam without coming across challenges. If you did not encounter any challenge, then it means what you are propagating is not in conformity with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad,” he said.
He said Sheikh Ibrahim Niyass faced numerous challenges at a time when modern communication tools were unavailable, noting that today’s global connectivity has reduced some of the difficulties confronting contemporary scholars.
Shaykh Cisse also paid tribute to Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, describing him as a deeply knowledgeable scholar whose influence transcended national boundaries.
“Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi is a knowledgeable man, a Muslim to the core, who spent his life on the path of Prophet Muhammad and is well grounded in Islamic knowledge,” he said. “He propagated Islam not with force but with knowledge, morals, virtue and good human relations, and his influence cut across the globe.”
On youth empowerment, the scholar said Islamic learning should go hand in hand with productive livelihood, particularly agriculture. He disclosed that he runs a centre where young people are taught farming, adding that his grandfather was both a farmer and a religious teacher.
“Learning the Qur’an does not stop one from earning a living, most especially through agriculture,” he said.
He stressed that a peaceful society depends largely on how children are raised, noting that values taught at home eventually shape the wider society.
“When everyone cares for their children and teaches them how to relate peacefully with others, it will extend to the larger society and violence will reduce,” he said.
Shaykh Cisse also spoke on the long-standing cordial relationship between Nigeria and Senegal, noting that ties between the two countries have remained strong politically, economically, religiously and educationally.
“There are Nigerians in Senegal and Senegalese in Nigeria, and they coexist in peace,” he said.
