Ahmed Salim Jn

  The money arrived wrapped in santana leather , crumpled from passing through many hands. Moma and Popa had sent it. It is contributions from brothers, sisters and even the niece at home. Uloko , I  held it and thought, I cannot fail. Not because failure would kill me, but because it would undo them. This is the fear I want to talk about. As humans, we always have needs, desires, aspirations and ambitions. But just like life, the result of our actions and/or inactions is a function of the probability of success or failure. By success, I mean the achievement of one's goal or aim, and failure as the inability to meet a set goal or objective. Our approach and reaction to these possible outcomes is subjective. While some overcome their fear and proceed, others are held back from taking action. We say it's because of fear, the " Fear of Failure ". I speak of the anxiety of not meeting expectations which can hold people back from taking risks , pursuing goals or even try...

  ASSALAMU ALAIKUM WÂRAHMATULLAHI WÂBARAKATUH Praise be to ALlāh, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of ALlāh: “Fasting is obligatory for a person if he fulfils five conditions:  He is a Muslim He is accountable (mukallaf) He is able to fast He is settled (not travelling) There are no impediments to fasting If these conditions are met, then it is obligatory for a person to fast .  Non-Muslims are excluded from the first condition. The non-Muslim is not obliged to fast and his fast is not valid. If he becomes Muslim, he is not obliged to make up fasts from before.  The evidence for that is the verse in which ALlāh says (interpretation of the meaning):  “And nothing prevents their contributions from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in ALlāh and in His Messenger (Muhammad) and that they came not to As-Salah (the prayer) except in a lazy state, and that they offer not contributions but unwillingly” [Al-Tawbah 9:54]  If the contri...

In biology, we are taught that a virus can be both living and non-living. It possesses genetic material, either RNA or DNA. The ability to reproduce and interact within a host, gives it some qualities of life. Yet outside a host, it lacks metabolism, growth, reproduction, ATP generation, or response to stimuli. It has no cellular structure, no membrane or cytoplasm, just genetic material wrapped in a protein coat called a CAPSID. It stands on the border between living and non-living. It only responds to the conditions it finds itself in. But this piece is not just about viruses; it is about us as a people. We were a people who once thrived on mutual respect with established constituted authority, even before modern day civilization. We had established protocols for resolving disputes, and reconciliation was always the goal. Ours was a pride-worthy culture where morals, values, and positive impact measured a person’s worth, not just the weight of his purse. Like a dormant virus that bec...

  ASSALAMU ALAIKUM WÂRAHMATULLAH Praise be to ALlāh, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of ALlāh: Firstly:  The pregnant woman is obliged to pray like any other woman who is in a state of purity. Prayer is only waived for women in the case of menses or nifaas (postpartum bleeding). Knowledge of that is widespread and readily available, and ignorance of that is very strange, especially in Muslim countries. Rather it is to be regarded as a shortcoming and negligence.  What every accountable individual must do is learn what he needs for his acts of worship and interactions with others to be sound and valid.  This is part of the knowledge that it is obligatory to acquire, and it is not permissible to delay it or be distracted from it.  Therefore what your wife must do is repent to ALlāh, may He be exalted, for her shortcomings and negligence in learning and asking people of knowledge. But she does not have to make up these prayers, according to the more ...

  Social media is meant to be an outlet that connects people from like and unlike backgrounds; culturally, socially, religiously, economically, and otherwise. It was designed as a bridge, a meeting point of ideas and experiences. Information is sourced and shared on these platforms, stories are told, voices are amplified, and, ideally, understanding is built. Yet, it is quite disappointing to see the dragging that thrives in this space. At times, it becomes so toxic that one even contemplates logging out for good. But like alcohol addicts, many of us are so hooked that we can’t seem to do without it anymore. We complain about the chaos, yet we keep scrolling, engaging, reacting, and we are just trapped in a cycle we pretend not to notice. What is even more disheartening is the intensity of these draggings when they are fueled by differences in religion . You begin to wonder: are these not the same people I live with, relate with, and transact with in my everyday environment? Life ...

  ASSALAMU ALAIKUM WARAHMATULLAH  Praise be to ALlah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of ALlah: The mosques are places where the Muslims gather for the purpose of worshipping, obeying and remembering their Lord. Hence ALlah, may He be Exalted, has enjoined us to venerate and honour them, as He says: {… in houses [mosques] which ALlah has ordained to be built so that His name may be remembered therein. In them His name is glorified morning and afternoon, by men who are not distracted by buying or selling from the remembrance of ALlah, or from establishing prayer or giving zakat. They fear a day when hearts will quiver and eyes will stare fixedly} [ An-Noor 24:36-37 ]. The Prophet (blessings and peace of ALlah be upon him) said: “rather they [mosques] are for the remembrance of ALlah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, and prayer, and reading Quran.” Narrated by Muslim (285). To highlight the importance of respecting the mosques, ALlah, may He be Exalted, has ordaine...

Food is very essential for human’s survival. It gives us the fuel and energy to keep up with our day-to-day activities. Truly, no one fares well on an empty stomach. From our earliest lessons, we learn about the six classes of food and their functions in our lives. Yet, on closer observation, a large percentage of what we eat in this part of the world is carbohydrates . And there are countless sources of this energy-giving class of food: rice, yam, cassava , maize , and many more. We prepare white rice and stew or jollof , sometimes with a little fish or meat. We make yam porridge, boiled yam with sauce ( egg sauce sometimes), pounded yam that stretches into family meals. We turn corn and cassava flour into ójé (swallow), mold akpu from fermented cassava , and find comfort in plates that carry both memory and meaning. But my major focus is garri . Garri is a lifesaver. A true companion, especially to the student who lives away from home, the student with not much time to spare for t...

  ASSALAMU ALAIKUM WARAHMATULLAH  Praise be to ALlah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of ALlah: Firstly:  Using musical tunes as the ring tones for cell phones is an evil action and is haram, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of ALlah be upon him) forbade all musical instruments.   The one who forgets to turn off his cell phone during the Friday khutbah has to turn it off if it rings, even if the ring tone is permissible, because leaving it disturbs the khateeb and other worshippers, and distracts them from the obligation of listening to the khateeb. We hope that switching it off does not come under the heading of idle talk that is forbidden during the Friday khutbah, which is referred to in the question. This is mentioned in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of ALlah be upon him), “but whoever touches the pebbles has engaged in an idle action.” Narrated by Muslim (857).  The hadith applies to the one who fiddles with someth...

In junior secondary school, my computer science teacher taught me that among the advantages of computer and the developments it comes with, is that the world is now a GLOBAL VILLAGE . He explained the concept of GLOBALIZATION as a system where the world become more interconnected. In the aspect of communication, economic, transportation, culture, and other conceptual models. Initially, it described international trade and economic integration. However, in today's understanding, it compasses broader aspects like culture, technology, and communication often with both positive and negative connotations. But, with this globalization, there's a stealthily consistent erosion of our moral ethics as a people. There's a need to forge a balance between our ethical standards and this ideology where people, goods, cultures and information is now able to cross national borders unfettered, especially with the help of modern technology and social media. This is even more significant tr...

  A thief is a thief. Thieves do not mind being petty; a thief is a thief. I write this piece with sadness, sadness at how poorly we (some of us think) sometimes think and how petty we can become. We are all struggling, surviving, and trying to live. Yet it is deeply unfortunate how some unscrupulous elements (excuse my choice of words) in our society pay little or no attention to the consequences of their actions. Just recently, I boarded a keke to get to my destination. There were two passengers at the rear seat and the driver in front. There was space for one or two more passengers, as is typical. I became mildly suspicious when the driver repeatedly refused to stop for people flagging him down along the road. Still, I kept calm and grew extra observant. He did not stop at the exact place I asked to alight, and the stop itself was too abrupt. As I stepped down, one of the supposed passengers beside me picked my phone and concealed his hand between his thighs. The driver was alr...

 ASSALAMU ALAIKUM WARAHMATULLAH Praise be to ALlāh, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of ALlāh and his family. Turning away from the Qiblah in prayer is of different types: Turning away physically, by turning one’s chest away from the direction of the Qiblah. This type of turning away invalidates the prayer , because facing towards the Qiblah is one of the conditions of prayer being valid. Turning one’s head or eyes away, while the body remains facing towards the Qiblah. This type of turning away is disliked, unless the Muslim does it because he needs to. If he does it with no need, then he has diminished the reward for his prayer but it is still valid and is not rendered invalid by that. It says in Al-Mawsu`ah Al-Fiqhiyyah (27/109): “There is no difference of opinion among the jurists regarding the fact that it is disliked to turn away in prayer, because of the Hadith of `Aishah (may ALlāh be pleased with her), who said: I asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of AL...

In my mother tongue ( igala ), it is often said: manakólalo alonaba, alu ogijo magbulu omiéka. It roughly translates to: we are complaining about the corrosiveness of caustic soda , yet the caustic soda keeps becoming even more corrosive. Omiéka is a local drink made by diluting pap with excess water and allowing it to sit for a few days, giving it a sour, fermented taste. You can sense its smell from the mouth of an elder who has taken it. In the same way, our elders continue to imbibe, impart, and inculcate moral values in the younger generation. They relentlessly caution, warn, and guide us about the dangers and consequences of social vices , even though society keeps growing more corrosive in its behaviour. There is a growing uneasiness in today’s world, a feeling that something fundamental(societal morality) is slipping quietly through our fingers. Everywhere we turn, from our neighbourhoods to the vast digital world where many young people now spend their lives, we encounter s...

CUSTECH Osara , my school Where dawn breaks on eager minds, And hope walks freely through lecture halls. Here, wisdom is planted, Watered by peace, And bound together by unity. Beneath these roofs of learning, Dreams are shaped with discipline, And excellence is not a wish, But a duty we strive to earn. Academic light shines steadily, Guiding effort into achievement. O Lord our God, In whom all knowledge finds its source, We rely on You. Grant our lecturers insight to teach with patience, And grant us hearts ready to learn. May this school stand firm Not only in walls and buildings, But in truth, resilience, and purpose. Let no force that opposes growth prevail, And let every challenge refine us. So shall victory be ours In character, In learning, And in life, Each day we walk these grounds. ® Ahmed Salim Jn ✍️ #Uloko

  Home is good, home is sweet. Filled with love, sincere and real. Sometimes, one wishes not to go away and stray. One's wish is never to leave. "Oh Lord My God," from my heart, I plead for no end to this. For this is nothing but pure Bliss . Yet, oftentimes, we go out of our comfort zones when we seek. Man was placed in Eden to work it and take care of it. Then he is banished to work the ground from which he was taken. Here comes I; my goal my dream. Never to give up on my chase. In love and compassion, I was raised.  Walking in innocence, honesty, unstained.  My moral values , I must retain. God Almighty remains the ultimate gain. And He alone fills my mind.  ® Ahmed Salim Jn ✍️  #Uloko

  A lot of times, we see images like this, circulating on social media. It depict African children labelled as 'Upcoming Yahoo Boys' and white children as 'Upcoming Clients'. It troubles me to imagine how lowly some of us think of ourselves, it is deeply troubling. But, beyond the discomfort they evoke, these kinds of captions reflect a dangerous normalization of stereotypes that undermine the dignity, intelligence, and future of African youths, particularly Nigerians. What makes this more painful is that these narratives are often amplified by our very own people. Nigeria as a nation, has never been short of history, intellect, or civilization. Our cultures span hundreds, even thousands of years, rooted in systems of governance, philosophy, medicine, trade, and art long before colonial contact. And even today, in the modern world, we still continue to excel globally; producing scholars, engineers, doctors, innovators, artists, entrepreneurs, and scientists of remarkabl...