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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
Metro
HURIWA Demands Probe As Nine Soldiers Accused of Links to Boko Haram Allegedly Escape from Custody
A major security breach has hit the Nigerian military after nine soldiers reportedly escaped from a guardroom at Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri — headquarters of the Army’s 7 Division.
Military sources said the incident occurred around 2:15am on Monday.
Most of the escapees were said to have been detained for alleged links with Boko Haram and involvement in arms trafficking in the North-East.
“There was a jailbreak on Monday around 0215 hours at Maimalari Cantonment. Nine personnel detained mostly for dealing in arms running with terrorists escaped,” a source, according to some media reports, confirmed.
One of the fugitives has since been recaptured, while a manhunt is underway for the remaining eight.
The military has reportedly launched an internal probe to uncover how the soldiers succeeded in breaking free from the high-security facility.
Meanwhile, a pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group – Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) of Nigeria has condemned the criminal activity of letting out such high value suspects at a time that the nation is gripped by the threats of the United States of America government’s threats to unleash military airstrikes targeting Islamic Terrorists like Boko Haram terrorists and ISWAP.
HURIWA believes that if the report is factually accurate, then there is more to it than meets the eyes. It means that there is a high network of conspiratorial plots from the topmost echelons of the command structures and these collaborators and saboteurs of the war on terror must be identified, arrested, prosecuted for treason and jailed for life.
HURIWA tasked the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede and the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu to take the matter as a high priority case and to go after the escapees just as the commander charged with securing their detention should be immediately suspended and all those who participated in aiding and abetting their disappearances must be arrested and prosecuted for sabotaging the counter terrorism war in Nigeria.
“If this is true, it means that the claims made by the Borno state governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, of the existence of saboteurs of the war on terror within the Nigeria Army is much deeper than we are all contemplating.”
The Rights group stated that although the Nigerian Army is yet to react to the development at the time the media filed this report, the escapees were alleged to be involved in arms trafficking to terrorist groups operating in Nigeria’s North-East just as it was gathered that reports of the jailbreak have led to serious concerns within Nigeria’s security sector.
HURIWA expressed disappointment that saboteurs embedded within the nation’s military circles orchestrated the ugly development just few days after President Bola Tinubu appointed new service chiefs as a way to pass a message that they are invincible but the civil rights advocacy group stated that allowing these important and strategic suspects who sabotaged the war on terror to escape without being caught on time, it therefore means that there is the urgency of the moment to review the entire spectrum of military operations against Boko Haram terrorists given that their informants and suppliers of weapons have successfully penetrated the military institution, which is a very big shame.
“When we call for heads to roll, we truly mean that many bad eggs must be immediately weeded out of the Army given that they are actually undermining the National security of the corporate entity of Nigeria. It is time for a transparent overhauling of the security operations against terrorists in the country.”
A gas-laden tanker overturned on a Lagos road on Monday after the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle.
The General Manager (GM), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, who made this known in a statement on Monday in Lagos, said that timely response of traffic officials, however, averted an explosion at the scene.
He said the incident occurred along the main carriageway at Chisco, before the traffic light inward Victoria Island area.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident occurred when the driver of the truck, fully loaded with Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) cylinders, lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn on the busy expressway.
“Given the highly volatile nature of the product, the situation posed an immediate and severe threat to human life and property, necessitating urgent technical intervention,” he said.
The GM said that LASTMA personnel swiftly cordoned off the affected area upon arriving at the scene, securing both the overturned vehicle and the CNG tanks.
According to him, this was done to prevent any leakage or ignition that could have triggered an explosive conflagration.
Bakare-Oki said that the LASTMA Rescue and Emergency Unit immediately activated a multi-agency emergency protocol, summoning key responders.
“The responders are the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lekki Concession Company (LCC), the Nigeria Police Force, and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
“Through this rapid inter-agency collaboration, the imminent threat was expertly contained, and normalcy was swiftly restored,” he said.
Bakare-Oki, who was physically present at the scene, lauded the prompt and disciplined conduct of his officers and partner agencies.
He disclosed that the upturned gas tanker was professionally recovered, using state-of-the-art heavy-duty cranes and recovery equipment mobilised to the site.
“Their immediate action in securing the environment prevented what could have been an unspeakable tragedy.
“We ensured that the recovery process was conducted under the highest safety protocols to eliminate any residual risk,” he said.
He further revealed that additional LASTMA personnel were deployed to the area to manage the resultant traffic congestion.
He added that the team guaranteed the safety of commuters navigating through the Victoria Island corridor.
“While the main carriageway was closed temporarily from Chisco inward Victoria Island, motorists were immediately diverted through the new coastal road and reconnected via Bar Beach.
“This ensured the continuity of vehicular movement till the recovery operation was safely concluded and the road reopened to normal traffic,” he said.
The GM emphasised that the incident underscored the critical importance of adherence to road safety regulations, especially among truck drivers and operators of articulated vehicles transporting flammable and hazardous materials.
He admonished such operators to strictly observe prescribed speed limits, maintain their vehicles in sound mechanical condition, and exercise heightened vigilance, particularly under wet weather conditions.
Leading communications network, Globacom, has registered another milestone with its ongoing investment in its people as the SheGlows Summit 2025 convened women from every division at the Alliance Française, Mike Adenuga Centre, Lagos.
This year’s theme, “Wellness for Growth,” underscored a simple truth: wellbeing is not separate from performance-it powers it.
From Mrs Olubunmi Aboderin Talabi’s reflections on rest, to Bunmi George’s insights on consistency, and Ifeoma Williams’s masterclass on confidence, every session linked personal wellness to leadership readiness.
The summit’s success mirrored Globacom’s broader commitment to a management culture that continually fosters spaces where women can learn, lead, and lift others.
While the spotlight shone on the female workforce, the quiet endorsement from senior leadership made clear that this vision starts at the top and ripples throughout the organisation.
Participants left with renewed clarity and community spirit, a testament that when companies nurture wellness, they unlock growth that lasts.
They lauded the experience as inspiring and transformative. Ifeyinwa Okoli, Team Lead, Customer Care, said, “The event was beyond my expectations; each speaker delivered her message beautifully, and I’ve taken so much home.”
Esther Ohiomoba from Enterprise Business added, “It touched my core. My biggest takeaway is to let my brilliance serve, not intimidate. I’d love to do this again and again.”
