By Abdul Waheed Lawal
I strongly believe, ‘uneasy lies the head that wears the crown’.
Some people tend to make all sorts of comments on our Muslim leaders and even politicians that they don’t spend. Wallahi, few of them that I know and have a privileged information of how they spend, I used to say astagfirullah for either previously saying or believing in what people say that they don’t spend.
As a matter of fact, I take very serious objections to some people accusing our wealthy Muslims and Politicians for not spending simply because they who are complaining either do not have access to them or may be because these our leaders do not engage media publicity that they are feeding the indigents or assisting the less privileged. If you are in this category of people, please seek forgiveness from Allah and abstain from speaking bad about them.
Those who watch with good intention and open mind will agree with me that Alhaj Daud Makanjuiola Akinola (DDAMAK), is a philanthropist per excellence.
I stumbled recently over a document of people he gives scholarships to, those he assisted financially and to whom he extended his benevolent acts to , I almost cried . I’m aware of some people who performed Hajj through him and those he gave cars.
If you watched carefully, Aare Musulumi is not loquacious. Honestly, he is not flamboyant. He is not a reckless spender. He chooses where he spends. There is a tendency to believe he doesn’t spend because he doesn’t announce. I watched one day , about five people were standing and he passed money to one person without others knowing about it. If it were you, I’m sure you will announce it on Al jazeerah, CNN or BBC.
The Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta once told me, “why do I need people to continue to sing my praises for what I’m spending to assist people? Is it the people that would reward me or Allah? I said Allah. He then said, must I now shout before he knows I’m spending in his cause?
Yes, I agreed with him. But this is the era of social media. Sometimes people could incur the wrath of Allah for speaking about what they do not know.
Secondly, when the benevolent activities are publicized, many more rich people are encouraged to emulate the good practice
Take or leave it, I’m saying what I know and the little information at my disposal, this current Aare Musulumi and Aare of Ibadan land is a cheerful and generous giver.
When I came across the various spendings he had made during this 1445 Ramadan, I say Alhamdulillah on his behalf.
I remember when he lost one of his wives a couple of years ago and was in a mourning mood, people were still demanding from him and he was giving.
I personally think he deserves our Dua and cooperation in everything good.
May Allah look upon the auspiciousness of this Ramadan to multiply His mercy and bounties on him and to sustain him upon piety , righteousness and more meritorious service to Islam and humanity in general.
May Allah grant him longevity of life and a good ending in Aljannah at the end of it all .
