Professor Afiz Oladosu, a former dean of the University of Ibadan’s faculty of arts, has urged Muslim communities and organizations to set up systems that will deter or lessen Muslim begging nationwide.
The professor of Arabic and Islamic studies emphasized that Muslim organizations, groups, and societies have a responsibility to put some procedures in place to deter situations where some people choose to make begging their vocation.
On Sunday in Ibadan, at the conference of 2023 delegates and the swearing-in of the new executive council of the Political Awareness Group (PAG) under the direction of Dr. Lukman Fasasi, Oladosu made these statements.
Former Oyo State Secretary Alhaji Akin Olajide, Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology Professor Soliu Adelabu, Baagi of Saki Alhaji Abdulrasheed Adegoke, Professor Abideen Olaiya, and members of the outgoing PAG executives led by Barrister Abdul-Waheed Olowonjaiye attended the event, which had the theme “Creating a pathway for sustainable development: Muslims on call.”
Oladosu, who was represented by Professor Ibrahim Usman, Head of the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Ibadan, exhorted Islamic organizations to make sure that every Muslim in their area has a source of income.
He continued by saying that this will significantly reduce and discourage begging among Muslims in the nation.
He claimed, “We have discussed the fundamental goals of Islamic law, one of which seeks to safeguard the future of future generations, and in doing this, Islam establishes the prohibition of begging as a vocation.
“While begging is acceptable in Islam when a Muslim is in need or facing a catastrophe, it is prohibited as a career.
“This is due to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) allegedly saying in numerous traditions that Muslims shouldn’t beg others for stuff instead of working.
“Once more, Umar Ibn Kattab, the second caliphate, is alleged to have ejected some Muslims from the Mosque and informed them that they couldn’t be claiming that Allah should benefit us since they had ceased to labor. Consequently, as Muslims, you must go to work.
Therefore, one of the duties of our Muslim organizations and communities today is to see to it that we implement a system that would deter Muslims from begging so that each Muslim will be enabled to have a source of income.
