Justice close to godliness-Lemu
A renowned Muslim cleric and General Secretary, Islamic Education Trust (IET), Minna, Niger State, Shaykh Muhammad Nurudeen Lemu, OON, has urged Muslim jurists to always be fair in their interpretations of laws, saying that justice is close to godliness.
Shaykh Lemu gave this advice last Wednesday (May 8, 2024) while delivering a keynote address at the maiden edition of Scholars’ Debate among proponents of three schools of Islamic jurisprudence organised by the Department of Islamic Law, University of Ilorin, at the Moot Court of the Faculty of Law.
He explained that the essence of Law is the promotion and protection of justice among the people, pointing out that those who advance the cause of justice are promoting godliness in the land.
Speaking on the theme “Islamic Law and Technologically Engineered Cycle of Life: Artificial Wombs, Neural Chips and Cryonics”, Shaykh Lemu appealed to Muslim jurists to engage in profound professional and intellectual consultations with experienced medical practitioners before issuing verdicts on medical issues.
He added that it is dangerous for jurists to base their positions on antiquated tendencies instead of examining issues from contemporary and evidence-based points of view.
Shaykh Lemu, who is one of those who represented the Nigerian Muslim community at the 2014 National Political Reform Conference, explained that knowledge seeking, consultation and juxtaposition of facts are very important before a jurist can give adequate and acceptable interpretation of Islamic Laws.
He added that it is mandatory for jurists to look at cases from all perspectives and with sincerity of purpose for the essence of Islamic jurisprudence to be achieved.
Shaykh Lemu also said that interpretation of Laws must always be targeted at bettering the lot of the constiutents of a community.
The renowned cleric also said that Laws must be victim-centric, stressing that the interpretation of Laws must be targeted at human emancipation and not suppression.
He explained that the Sharia is as close to justice as any other form of Law, urging that the deployment of the Sharia must be targeted at the attainment of justice and banishment of injustice.
Shaykh Lemu, who was later offered the position of Adjunct Lecturer at the Department of Islamic Law by the Vice Chancellor, specifically cautioned Muslim scholars and jurists against every form of extremism as he noted that most of those who engage in religious extremism have poor knowledge of the religion.
He congratulated the Department of Islamic Law for organising the event as he urged similar Departments of other universities to follow suit, saying that sustained efforts must be made to explore the correlation between Islamic points of view and emerging trends in science and technology.
Speaking at the event, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, congratulated the Department on organising the programme, which, he said, centred on contemporary issues in biotechnology.
The Vice Chancellor, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Olubunmi Abayomi Omotesho, assured the Department and indeed the Faculty of Law of the support of the University Administration in discharging efficient services to the nation and humanity.
The highlight of the event was a debate among six students of the Department, who represented three major positions in the interpretation of Islamic Law, on the permissibility or otherwise of three developments in the field of biotechnology.
At the end of the contest, Mr Abdulmujeeb Afolabi Abdulwakeel took the first position. The second position went to Mr Ajape Abdulsamad while Miss Khadijat Moromoke Ismail took the 3rd position.