International

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

A Nigerian lady, Aisha Abubakar Hassan, has emerged as the second-position winner in the just concluded sixth edition of the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Holy Qur’an Competition for women in Dubai. 

Fifty countries participated in the competition that was held from the 1st to the 7th of October at the Dubai Culture and Science Society.

Aindati Sisi from Senegal came first, while Aisha Abubakar Hassan from Nigeria and Shima Anfal Tabani from Algeria took the second and third places, respectively.

According to the organisers, the participants were women Quran memorisers with mastery of tajweed. They also have to be under 25 years old. 

The first position-winner received 250,000 dirhams; the second got 200,000 dirhams, and the third 150000 dirhams. Other participants who performed brilliantly in the competition were also handsomely rewarded.  

The Dubai International Holy Qur’an Award, DIHQA, hosts and organises the event for women worldwide annually.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Ahead of the 2022 World Cup, which begins on November 20, the tournament host, Qatar, has released a list of dos and don’ts, especially for fans from other countries.

The wealthy Gulf nation has disclosed that spectators coming should note the bans that have been in place on alcohol, the LGBT community, exposing parts of the female body, and swearing are still in effect.

The host added that disrespect for mosques, loud music and sounds, dating, and taking pictures of people without their consent, are also banned.

Apart from the moral rules, there are also regulations concerning COVID-19 and its vaccine.

The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy mandated that all visitors six years of age and older show proof of a negative PCR test result obtained within 48 hours of their departure or a positive rapid antigen test result obtained within 24 hours of arrival.

Rapid antigen test results from legitimate medical facilities that are not self-administered only will be accepted. If visitors do not exhibit COVID-19 symptoms, no additional testing will be necessary in Qatar.

Additionally, everybody above 18-year-old must download the Ehteraz contact tracing phone app, which the government manages.

By Dr. Isa Muhammad Inuwa

We woke up to the maddening, stunning macabre and grim sorrow of the demise of Sheikh Dr Youssef Al-Qardawi, renowned scholar and jihadist of international repute. As we weep profusely, both internally and outwardly, over this irreparable loss, his death indicates that the sun has set down for yet another era of Islam, as yet another chapter is closed.

Late Al-Qardawi can go down in history as a titanic whale in the fathomless ocean of Islamic knowledge and jurisprudence. He authored many valuable compendia and an estimated 120 to 200 books, famous among which is Al-Halal Wal Haram, that addressed and gave solutions to vital lawful and unlawful issues in Islam.

He was a contemporary of scholars and jihadists of like minds such as Sheikh Hasanul Bannah, Sayyid Qutub, Sa’eed Hawaah, Kishk and the rest. The personalities mentioned above formed the nucleus of the Islamic Brotherhood movement’ ‘Ikhwanul Muslimuuna’ in Egypt around the 1950s to 1960s.

Ikhwan’s formidable movement under the late Hassan Al-Banna’s leadership served as an alternative political group that brokered power in Egypt by participating in the democratic process and contesting political posts. Former president Muhammad Morsi was a testimony to Ikhwan’s influence in the mainstream politics of Egypt.

More so, the hitherto Islamic movement in Egypt, administered by vibrant and agile youths, had impacted and triggered similar gestures in many countries and Muslim communities worldwide.

While some Ikhwan eggheads, such as Hassan Al-Bannah, were martyred amidst the struggle, others, like the late Youssef Al-Qardawi, survived, lived longer and contributed to humanity on many fronts.

May The Almighty Allah accept the late Sheikh Qardawi and uplift his status in the highest and exalted Jannah, amen!

Dr Isa Muhammad Inuwa writes from Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria, via ismi2000ng@yahoo.com.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

After losing 1-0 to Inter Milan on Tuesday, Barcelona is in danger of not making it out of their Champions League group.

They now have three points from three games as a result of the outcome.

At the San Siro stadium, Hakan Calhanoglu scored the game’s lone goal to give Inter all three points.

Bayern Munich leads the group with a perfect nine points after defeating Barcelona 2-0 in the most recent round of games.

With six points, Inter is in second place, ahead of Barca, as there is still no point for Viktoria Plzen.

Next week’s matchup between Inter and Barcelona will take place at Camp Nou.

Barcelona have also gone five games in a row in the Champions League without scoring.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has been conferred with honorary citizenship of the county of Dallas in Texas, United States of America.

Peter Obi disclosed this in a tweet on Wednesday, October 5, 2022.

“Today in Dallas Texas United States, I met with the Mayor of Dallas and his team. I had the privilege of being conferred with the honorary citizenship of Dallas. I also met with a select group of Texas Judges.” He tweeted

Speaking at the ceremony of the conferment, the Mayor of Dallas, Eric Johnson said that the Labour Party presidential candidate shall uphold a place of high esteem in the minds of the people of Dallas city.

“Without a piece of doubt, with this conferment, you shall uphold a place of high esteem in the minds and hearts of the people of this great city (Dallas). Congratulations!,” he said.

By Isa Muhammad Inuwa

Thousands of Muslims in Kano, Nigeria, had Thursday converged at the Umar Bin Al-Khattab mosque, where they offered funeral prayer in absentia for the repose of the soul of the deceased Sheikh Youssef Al-Qardawi, who passed on in Doha, Qatar, recently.

Leading the congregation, Imam Sheikh Yahaya Tanko delivered the prayer interluded with four Takbirs (Allahu Akbar! chants) and supplications.

Addressing the crowd shortly after, Sheikh Tanko recalled that the distant funeral prayer was first conducted by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), in Medina, for the soul of Al-Najjashi, the then late Emperor of Abyssinia (present Ethiopia). Al-Najjashi was deemed to have converted from Christianity to Islam before his death.

Also speaking to the gathering, Professor Muhammad Babangida of Bayero University, Kano, announced that the late Sheikh Al-Qardawi was “a famous Islamic scholar of international standing, who spent the largest part of his life contributing to Islamic knowledge, through his teachings, writings and extracting solutions to religious matters (Fatwa)”.

He added that the late Al-Qardawi authored no less than 170 books, some of which consisted of several volumes. He said he was head of numerous Islamic bodies and that he migrated from his home country Egypt to Qatar because of threats to his life by anti-Islamic forces.

He described the deceased as a moderate jurist who maintained a middle course in proposing solutions on matters of Islamic jurisprudence. “He neither swerved to the extreme nor tilted to the most lenient side”, adding that he was very apt in addressing current issues arising in modern life in his publications and jurisdictions.

The scholar also described Al-Qardawi’s death as a significant loss to the entire Muslim World, whose replacement is difficult to find. He then asked God to forgive the deceased and rest his soul in the highest abode of Paradise. 

By Tajuddeen Ahmad Tijjani

It was a very horrible incident how a Chinese man unjustly killed Ummakulsum in Kano State on Friday, September 16, 2022. No one could understand the real motives about how the young lady died so young in the hands of the evil man who was alleged to be her lover.

In Nigeria, the lives of ordinary citizens are becoming so easily taken and only become viral on social media without pursuing the incident to a logical conclusion. Indeed, it’s a duty upon the authorities to unravel the circumstances in which criminal activities are occasionally occurring in our country. Perhaps, we take it for granted that a foreigner could be allowed to perpetrate this criminal act in our midst. Even though every immoral act stands condemned no matter who’s involved.

Ummi or Ummita, as she’s popularly known, wasn’t the only case that happened in the community. Most young girls find fun in associating with people of different colours and unknown backgrounds. We must be concerned and warn our sisters to be cautious of who they associate with, and the community should, of course, be wary of people of questionable character approaching our sisters.

Sadly, the search for  exuberant life exposes women and girls to rapists and urchins who hide behind the cover of white skin to harm and spoil, thereby causing untold psychological, mental, health and physical trauma to young ladies in the country. Even though this happened in a most horrible way, but it shouldn’t be left to fade and wane, we must take precautions. In most cities, for example, we see young girls hiding behind as secretaries or even direct lovers to these white men, resulting in disasters and the destruction of their lives.

In general, what you can’t take away from us is that our inbuilt traits are not dead in us. It is true we love foreigners, mostly white men, for the simple fact that we feel they are more distant from us and we crave to make them feel at home, make them feel more comfortable in Nigeria, but that should not be taken for granted to take advantage of our kindness and inflict untold hardship on us. The gruesome murder of Ummita is highly unfortunate and indeed unacceptable.

However, security agencies must ensure the Chinese man is punished according to the law of the land to serve as a deterrent to others with similar bad intentions.

Tajuddeen Ahmad Tijjani writes from Galadima Mahmoud Street, Kasuwar Kaji Azare, Bauchi State, Nigeria.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, departs Abuja today and will be representing Nigeria at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in London. 

The spokesperson to the Vice President, Laolu Akande, stated in a statement he released on Saturday, September 17, 2022. 

According to the spokesperson, the Vice President will be among the guests and dignitaries to be received by King Charles III at a reception in Buckingham Palace on Sunday and the state funeral on Monday.

He also stated that on the sideline of the funeral is a scheduled bilateral meeting with UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.

Part of the statement reads: “Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, will be representing Nigeria at a number of events tomorrow and on Monday, during the State funeral for the late Queen Elizabeth ll of the United Kingdom.

Prof. Osinbajo departs Abuja today and will join members of the Royal Family, world leaders – including members of the Commonwealth, Heads of State, Governors-General, Prime Ministers, and foreign royal families – at the ceremonies, including the funeral service scheduled to hold at Westminster Abbey on Monday.”

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Real Madrid have condemned the “racist and xenophobic” attack on their Brazilian player Vinicius Jr. 

Real Madrid said, in a statement released via its website on Friday, that the club has instructed its legal staff to pursue legal action against anyone using racist remarks toward its players before this weekend’s LaLiga clash against Atletico Madrid.

“Real Madrid CF rejects all kinds of racist and xenophobic expressions and behaviours in the field of football, sport, and life in general, such as the regrettable and unfortunate comments made in recent hours against our player Vinicius Junior.

“Real Madrid wants to show all its love and support for Vinicius Junior, a player who understands football as an attitude towards life-based on joy, respect and sportsmanship.

“Football, which is the most global sport that exists, must be an example of values and coexistence.

“The club has instructed its legal services to take legal action against anyone who uses racist expressions towards our players,” Real Madrid said in the statement

Remember that for his dancing celebration, Vinicius was the target of a racial comment made by Pedro Bravo.

The Brazilian international is well-known for dancing at the corner flag in front of fans, whether they are in the home or away end of the stadium, to celebrate the majority of his goals.

Pedro Bravo, the head of Spanish football agents, did make a statement on Vinicius’ celebration while appearing on El Chiringuito.

Bravo said, “You have to respect your opponents. When you score a goal, if you want to dance Samba, you should go to sambodromo in Brazil. You have to respect your mates and stop playing the monkey.”

By Muhammadu Sabiu

A total of 286 foreigners, including 86 Lebanese, 14 Britons, and 4 Americans, received Nigerian citizenship on Thursday in Abuja from the Federal Government.

At the State House, President Muhammadu Buhari granted the affected foreign nationals the status of Nigerian citizens.

By means of naturalization, 208 qualified individuals who signed the declaration declaring themselves to be Nigerians received citizenship.

After they had formally uttered the national pledge and oath of allegiance for Nigeria, the remaining 78 were granted the same status by registration.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr Buhari gave the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) instructions to present the new Nigerians with the proper credentials right away.

According to him, this would allow people to start enjoying the prestige bestowed upon them, regardless of where they reside in the nation.

Mr Buhari asked them to uphold national beliefs and make an effort to positively impact the communities in which they live.

The president noted that the event was required under the constitution and was intended to exonerate all lawful citizens of the nation from the label of “statelessness.”

Meanwhile, Rauf Aregbesola, the interior minister, had earlier disclosed that the foreigners had undergone a series of exhaustive examinations by the country’s security agencies before being deemed qualified and deserving of Nigerian citizenship.

He was quoted to have said: “Today’s ceremony is a reminder of our common human ancestry.

”These people came from near and distant lands, from different races, religions, ethnicity, and other social affiliations and identities.”