Unrighteous Quest For Wealth Will Drive People To Hell, Ahmadiyya Youths Warn
Abimbola Abdulalhi
The Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya (Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Organisation) Nigeria, has urged members to shun materialism to the tune of compulsive consumption and avoid unlawful acquisition of wealth, describing it as one act that will drive people to hell.
The group, in a communique issued after its Annual National Youth Convention at Offa Grammar School, Offa, Kwara State and signed by its Sadr (National President), Abdulroqeeb Akinyemi, said Nigerians, particularly Muslim youths should pursue the goodness in this world with the right attitude, without resorting to unwholesome ways of getting rich quick.
The convention was attended by a total of one thousand six hundred and eight (1, 608) participants. Participants cut across sixteen (16) states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Akinyemi said the convention was aimed at making Muslim youths the best exemplary in terms of peaceful co-existences and mutual relationships among people of diverse backgrounds; and making Ahmadi youths balance the quest for material success and righteousness, among others.
The gathering according to him observed that some Muslims are now desperate to get rich quick with the false belief that material riches would give them peace of mind, joy and happiness.
Besides, it stated that the society now honour the rich, the affluent and proud ones because of what they have while reviling scholars, the humble ones and those who are patient with their Lord, tagging them as “not smart” because they understand better that this life and all its provision are temporal.
The group in its recommendation stated that members who fear Allah automatically have attained the best of both worlds.
It stated that there are different ways to attain moral, spiritual and material success but there is also a mutual way and that is to forge perfect connection with God.
It also suggested that: “That the youths should first get the true meaning of prosperity and shun this new trend of making money at all cost.
“That we are not precluded from seeking means of attaining riches, rather, we only need to understand that our object of being a reformer is to strive to achieve all worldly means through legal, religious, moral and culturally acceptable means;
“That Ahmadi members must remain resolute that despite the prevalence of satanic influence around us, we uphold the pillar of Khilafah wherein lies true spiritual solace;
“That gratitude, generosity, discipline and prayers are the four key spiritual means to achieving abundant material success;
“That religion is the gateway to righteousness as righteousness is the gateway to the Mercy of Allah;
“That if government fails to establish social justice, desperation for wealth and criminality will naturally soar; if parents, religious organisations fail in their ethical watchdog roles and if the civil society and other stakeholders do not come to rescue the youth through advocacy that will pave way for well-planned intervention programmes with multisectoral tenor, nothing can be done to salvage the already seemingly irredeemable situation;
“That the youth should try and attain God, try and understand the religion sent by God and make love of God an intrinsic part of us; and
“That if we wish to save our next generation from the bad effects of materialism, we shall have to explain to them the correlation between religion and morality,” it stated.
Activities at the convention included courtesy visitations, free healthcare delivery exercise, educational and sporting events which encouraged participants to compete healthily among themselves across all the 16 states.
