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Sermon: Remember Allah Always (Dhikr)
By Babatunde Jose
Therefore remember Me, I will remember you, and be thankful to Me,
and do not be ungrateful to Me. (Quran 2:152)
Dhikr, also spelled Zikr, (Arabic: “reminding oneself,” or “mention”), ritual prayer or litany practiced by Muslims, for the purpose of glorifying God and achieving spiritual perfection. Based on the Quranic injunctions; “Remind thyself [udhkur] of thy Lord when thou forgettest”(Quran 18:24) and “O ye who believe! Remember [udhkurū] Allah with much remembrance”(Quran 33:41), the dhikr is essentially a “remembering” of God by the frequent repetition of his names. Originally a simple recitation of the Quran and various religious writings among ascetics and mystics, the dhikr gradually became a formula (e.g., lā ilāha illa ʾllāh, “there is no god but God”; repeated aloud or softly, accompanied by prescribed posture and breathing.
There is a huge gulf today between the Creator and the creation leading to a dramatic decline of the moral values of humanity and a proportional rise in bigotry, hatred and violence worldwide. The practice of Dhikr brings humanity closer to the Creator and thus paves the way for bringing humanity closer to each other.
You have the ability to supplicate to Allah and thus excel at humbling yourself at the doorstep of the King of kings. You have the blessed last third of the night to invoke Allah and to rub your head upon the ground in prostration. Allah has created for you the earth and what is in it. He has caused gardens of beauty to grow, filling them with many kinds of plants and flowers in pairs, both male and female. And He has made tall palm trees, shining stars, forests, rivers and streams — yet you contemplate them not! You drink water that is pure, you breathe fresh air, you walk upon your two feet in health, and you sleep the evenings in peace. Therefore: Seek forgiveness from Allah often, for your Lord is Oft-Forgiving. He will send rain to you in abundance; and give you increase in wealth and children; and bestow on you gardens; and bestow on you rivers,(Quran 71: 10-12)
So seek forgiveness from Allah more often and you will reap the benefits of doing so: peace of mind, lawful provisions, righteous offspring, and plentiful rain.
And the Prophet said: “Whosoever seeks forgiveness (from Allah) often, then Allah makes for him a good ending for every matter of concern and provides for him a way out of every tight situation.”-Bukhari; a hadith that is known as the chief of Al- Istighfaar (i.e., of supplications with which one asks Allah for forgiveness): “O’ Allah, You are my Lord and none has the right to be worshipped except You. You have created me and I am your slave; and I am upon your covenant and promise as much as I am able to be. I seek refuge in You from the evil that I have perpetrated. I confess to You Your favor upon me, and I confess to You my sin, so forgive me; for verily, none forgives sins except You.”
Always remember Allah for Allah said: Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. (Quran 13: 28) O’ you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah” (Qur’an 63: 9)
Always remember Allah: And glorify the Praises of your Lord when you get up from sleep. And in the night-time also, glorify His Praises, — and at the setting of the stars. (Quran 52: 48-49)
The Prophet said: ‘The example of one who members his Lord in relation to one who does not remember his Lord is that of the living and the dead.”
The Prophet also said: “The mufarridoon outstrip others.” His Companions asked. “Who are the mufarridoon, O’ Messenger of Allah? He said, “The men who remember Allah often and the women who remember Allah often.”
And in another hadith, the Prophet said: “Shall I not inform you of the best of deeds, and the purest of them with your Lord? The deed which is better for you than spending gold and silver (for a good cause), and which is better for you than to meet your enemy, and you cut their throats and they cut yours?” They said, “Yes. O’ Messenger of Allah.” He said, “The remembrance of Allah.”
There are several phrases that are usually read when remembering Allah. One which is said to be most favoured by Allah is; Lā ʾilāha ʾillā llah ,”There is no god but Allah and this was what my mother was repeating on the chair before she gave up the ghost 12 years ago. Indeed, Allah is able to do all things for, to Him belongs the kingdom and all therein.
Our Lord! (they say), Let not our hearts deviate now after Thou hast guided us, but grant us mercy from Thine own Presence; for Thou art the Grantor of bounties without measure (Quran 3:8)
Barka Juma’at and a Happy weekend
The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday upheld the judgment that stopped the Directorate of Road Traffic Services and Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) from seizing vehicles or imposing fines on motorists.
In a unanimous decision by a three-member panel, the appellate court found no basis to set aside the Federal High Court’s ruling of October 16, 2024, which restrained the VIO from harassing motorists.
The appeal filed by the VIO was dismissed for lacking merit. Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi delivered in the lead judgment.
The high court had earlier ruled, in a judgment by Justice Nkeonye Maha, that no law authorizes the VIO to stop motorists, impound vehicles, or impose penalties for alleged traffic offences.
The case arose from a fundamental rights suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023) filed by lawyer Abubakar Marshal.
Marshal informed the court that VIO officials stopped him at Jabi in Abuja on December 12, 2023, and seized his vehicle without lawful reason. He asked the court to determine whether their actions violated his rights.
Justice Maha agreed and ordered the VIO and its agents not to impound vehicles or impose fines on motorists, describing the actions as unlawful. She held that only a court can impose fines or sanctions.
She ruled that the VIO’s conduct breached the applicant’s constitutional right to property under Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 14 of the African Charter. She further held that the VIO has no legal authority to seize vehicles or penalize motorists, as doing so infringes on rights to fair hearing, movement and presumption of innocence.
Although Marshal, represented by Femi Falana, SAN, requested ₦500 million in damages and a public apology, the court awarded ₦2.5 million.
The Directorate of Road Traffic Services, its Director, its Abuja Area Commander at the time (identified as Mr. Leo), team leader Solomon Onoja, and the FCT Minister were listed as respondents.
They appealed the decision, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.
Plans have been concluded for the 19th edition of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF)’s Annual Town Hall Meeting on Security with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP, can report.
At the event, the Lagos’ Chief Security Officer, will champion the task of driving immense financial, material, and moral support for the Public-Private partnership agency which has been at the forefront of safety and security since its establishment in 2007. It will also be the first Town Hall meeting to be spearheaded by the agency’s new Executive Secretary/CEO, Dr Ayo Ogunsan.
Over the years, the Town Hall Meeting has become a platform for reviewing security interventions and strengthening partnerships in Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre and West Africa’s economic hub, Lagos. The theme of this year’s Town Hall meeting is “Building Trust, Enhancing Security: A New Era of Security and Partnerships.” It will bring together top government officials, security agencies, private-sector partners and other stakeholders committed to improving safety across the state. It will be held on Thursday 11th December, 2025, by 11am at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos.
This year’s edition will focus on deepening public trust and advancing collaborative approaches to tackling emerging security challenges. LSSTF expressed optimism that the outcome of the meeting would further strengthen the state’s security framework and support ongoing efforts to enhance public safety.
Participation at this year’s event will be strictly by invitation due to the high-level nature of the deliberations and the need to accommodate core stakeholders.
However, the public would not be left out, as the entire session would be streamed live on its official social media platforms for wider access and transparency. Thus, members of the public can join the broadcast through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund and Lagos State Government pages on Facebook and Instagram.
You can join the event Live on:-
FACEBOOK: Lagos State Security Trust Fund/followlasg
INSTAGRAM: followlsstf/lagosstategovt
The Departmental Selection Board (DSB) promotion exercise for Police Inspectors has officially commenced at the Zone 2 Command Headquarters, Onikan Lagos, according to a statement by the Zonal PRO, CSP Ayuba Tunni Umma, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP).
The statement highlighted that the exercise is in line with the commitment of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, to the welfare and career progression of personnel.
Designed to assess qualified Inspectors due for promotion to the next rank, and scheduled to run until Friday, December 5, 2025, the nationwide exercise is mandated across all Police Zonal formations.
“The exercise is being held at the Zonal Headquarters, and encompasses all eligible Inspectors serving under the Lagos and Ogun State Police Commands. It is being presided over by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Zone, AIG Adegoke M. Fayoade, psc, mni, fisn,” the statement noted.
While addressing officers at the commencement of the exercise, the Assistant Inspector General in charge of the Zone, AIG Adegoke Fayoade, congratulated them on their eligibility, and urged them to exhibit the highest standards of professionalism throughout the process. He reiterated the commitment of the Police leadership to a fair, merit-based, and transparent promotion system.
The AIG therefore, warned all participants against any form of misconduct, corruption or bribery, emphasizing that integrity is paramount. Assisting the AIG during the process are: Deputy Commissioners of Police in charge of Finance & Administration *DCP Bello Adamu and DCP Olubode Fakeye in charge of Zonal Criminal Investigation Department.
Personnel welfare remains a core priority for the Nigeria Police Force, and this exercise underscores the Force’s dedication to rewarding hard work, competence, and dedication among its ranks, fostering a motivated and professional workforce.
