The importance of education in the life of the people can never be over emphasized, so said a cleric at the graduation ceremony of Sofwatu-R-Rahmat Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies situated at Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. The Institute is under an International Islamic Organization, Zawiyatul-Sofwatur-Rahmatil-Islamiyyat (ZASRAM).
The Institute graduated seven of its students, who completed the whole glorious Qur’an at a well-attended ceremony at the School premises on Sunday, December 11th, 2022.
Founder of Sawiyatul Istijabat Organization, Atan-Ota and Spiritual Father of the day, Sheikh Al-Imam Ibraheem Abdur-Raheem (Alapako), who guided the graduating students in the symbolic recitation of the Noble Qur’an, stressed the need for everybody to acquire knowledge, asserting that, “importance of knowledge in the life of man can never be over emphasized.”
Quoting copiously from the book of hadith and Qur’an to buttress his assertion added that, “its mandatory, especially for Muslims-Male and Female to acquire both western and Islamic education in line with the instruction of the Noble Prophet Muhammad, (Peace be upon him.”)
The cleric therefore advised the graduating students to put what they have learnt into practice and proper use, reminding that, “exhibition of good character and acceptable moral values are expected from products of Arabic and Islamic Studies Institutions like ours.”
In his own address at the event, Founder, Chief Missioner of ZASRAM (Home and Abroad), Sheikh Abdur-Razaq Abdul-Hameed Onaolapo Animashaun (Kasolayo), urged the parents and the guardians to take sponsoring of their wards with all seriousness it deserves by paying their school fees and other levies promptly. Kasolayo, who doubles as the Proprietor and Principal of the school frowned at a situation whereby the parents would give priority to mundane issues like Aso-Ebi for wedding and even funeral at the detriment of their children’s education.
“The way we attend promptly to the needs of their children’s western education, we should apply such promptness to the Quranic education,” Kasolaya admonished, stressing the need for both to go hand in hand for the all-round development and benefit of the children.
In conclusion, Kasolayo announced that, the graduation ceremony is not the end of their courses in the school saying it was just a step towards promotion to higher classes.
The highlights of the ceremony are distribution of Certificates of Competence as well as launching of a book, ‘Identification of Arabic Alphabets in Simple Ways’, authored by the Principal, Abdur-Razaq Abdul-Hameed Onaolapo Kasolayo.
Among the graduating students was daughter of the former Assistant Editor, Sunday Sun Newspapers Alhaji Abdur-Razaq Bamidele, Miss Waliyah Morolake Bamidele, (Osun State). Others were, Rokibat Abdul-Fatah Yahya Sanusi (Kwara), Alia Ishola (Oyo State), Azeezat Maruf Ayofe (Osun), Zainab Onaolapo (Osun) and Fauziyat Badmus (Osun)
