Scholars have attributed the collapse of families to societal challenges in the country, adding that the solution path is to halt the spate of broken homes and ensure peace and tranquility of the family. The scholars who were unanimous in their presentations said this during the first quarter Dawah workshop organised by Lekki Muslim Ummah, LEMU, with the theme: ‘Towards Happy Marriage’ held at Jubrila Ayinla Multipurpose Hall, Lekki Central Mosque recently.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque, Imam Ridwan Jamiu said moral decadence in the society has led to corruption in high places, the collapse of family, drug abuse among children and an unhealthy society.
The chief Imam interrogated the issue of Marriage Ceremonies: The Islamic Guidelines. In his presentation, Imam Jamiu said: “A family is a unit of society, if the family is sound and healthy, the community will be sound and healthy, and if the family is unhealthy, the community will be unhealthy and this will affect the nation. This is why whenever we have any gathering like this, promoting love and peace in the family, we are promoting peace and national security. Many of society’s challenges came as a result of the collapse of the family or marriage breakdown. If you see some children who have taken drugs, it is because the family has collapsed. There can hardly be successful parenting without successful coupling. One of the reasons parents abandon their children at the mercy of society is lack of faith even in the face of challenges. Again, there is no robust law that can check these societal issues. If they know that it is a crime to abandon their children, with severe punishment, it will serve as a deterrent to others. Another reason is moral decline, which permeates every sector including those in government. That is why we have cases of corruption everywhere in government. Most people are morally corrupt.”
While Prof Fatima Abdulkareem and Imam Najeem Jimoh spoke on the topic ‘Finding a righteous spouse’, Dr. Rasheedah Oke-Olaniyan and Shaykh Dr Munirdeen Salaudeen Ar-Riyaadi spoke on the topic ‘How to make Marriage work’. Proprietress, Daru Salam Tafidh International Academy, Dr Rashidah Oke-Olaniyan reminded parents of their position as role models, adding that they should think more about the future of their children. “Parents should know they are role models and they are not planning for now, they are planning for the hereafter. The future of the children is important as well as the Hereafter. Having intimacy is what we don’t always want to talk about, if there is no understanding in the marriage, it is broken already. You have to make your marriage work and healthy. Think about the children all the time.
When the home is broken, there is no way the woman can be the mother and the father at the same time. It is difficult. Go and ask the kids out there, they will tell you, I need to see my Mum, I need to see my Dad. When there is no father figure in the home, you see the child going out to look for a father figure that may not be right for him or her. If you don’t want society to teach your child, you have to be there to teach your child and by extension, you have to make your marriage work.”
