By Alhaji Mohamed Wusha-Conteh
The Jamieu Salam, Foulah Town Mosque, on Friday crowned their Deputy Imam, Alhaji Yazid Raschid, in a well attended ceremony at the Masjid. The ceremony attracted hundreds of Muslims and host of personalities from all works of life.
In his maiden sermon, as Deputy Imam and Second Naib of the Jamieu Salam, Foulah Town Mosque, Imam Alhaji Yazid Rachid, based his sermon on Leadership and Brotherhood in Islam. He reiterated that Brotherhood in Islam is the essence of strong faith and the basis of powerful and sensitive emotions that the Muslim has in his heart towards his brothers in the faith, as if they are all branches stemming from one great tree, emerging from a single root through which all barriers of race, tribe, town, country, region and color are drawn.
Alhaji Yazid admonished all to be united under the banner of faith and the bond of brotherhood in Islam and quoted Surah Al Hujurat 49:13, which reads:- “O mankind! We created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).”
Alhaji Yazid stressed that the brotherhood of faith takes the place of brotherhood through blood. The bond of faith takes the place of materialistic bonds, personal interests and selfishness, whereby the Muslim’s love for his Muslim brothers what he loves for himself. He further said they feel sad when they are sad and feel happy where they are happy. He shares their joys and sorrows and feels their pain. In this way, Islam puts an end to all traces of selfishness that leads to wrongdoing.
On the Issue of leadership, Alhaji Yazid stressed that a leader should have the following qualities: Knowledge and Hikmah, Taqwa, Adl (Justice) and Rahmah (compassion), Courage and bravery, Shura (mutual consultation), Decisiveness and being resolute, Eloquent, Spirit of self-sacrifice and Sabr (Patience). He said a leader needs to acquire knowledge through study and hard work but hikmah comes only through an inner enlightenment and by seeking sincere guidance from Allah and reiterated that Justice without compassion leads to tyranny, while compassion without justice creates anarchy.
Alhaji Yazid said the followers’ trust and confidence is gained if their opinion is respected, and a leader should be seen to be making personal sacrifices then the followers will make even greater sacrifices and finally patience as impatience will simply drive his followers away.
In his remarks, Chief Imam of Jamieu Salaam Foulah Town, Alhaji Ahmad Owolabi Tejan, congratulated Alhaji Yasid Raschid on his appointment as 2nd Naib of the Foulah Town Mosque. He urged him to take up to the responsibility with moral leadership of the highest caliber and prayed for God‘s guidance and protection so that he will carry out his responsibility diligently.
In his remarks, on behalf of the family, Alhaji Nasiru Othman, thanked the Imam Alhaji Ahmad Owolabi Tejan, the entire Imam Board and members of the Jamieu Salam for reposing such confidence on their son and brother. He assured them that the family will do its utmost to strengthen their son and brother to carry out such responsibility diligently.
The program was climaxed with prayers led by the Deputy Imam Jamilatul Haqq who doubles as Deputy PRO Council of Imams in Sierra Leone, Sheikh Mohamed Teslim Thomas.