The National Council of Jumu’at Imams supports the Kano State Government’s plan to profile non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating in the state.
The chairman of the council, Sheikh Muhammad Nasiru Adam, announced this while addressing journalists in Kano on Monday.
Sheikh Muhammad Nasiru Adam, who is also the Chief Imam of Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani Masjid in Kofar Mata, said the council supports the government’s decision to regulate NGO activities.
“We are fully behind the Kano State Government on its stand in profiling NGOs,” he said.
He stated that some NGOs operate in ways that go against the culture, traditions, and religious values of Kano. He argued that some activities of these organizations negatively affect society.
“That is why we found it imperative and necessary to back the state government, especially the committee it has set up to profile the NGOs,” he said.
The chairman called on Kano residents and others to support the government’s committee in ensuring that NGOs properly introduce themselves to both the government and the people.
“I am calling on the people of Kano and every well-meaning citizen to back the committee set up by the state government to profile the NGOs that come to Kano to carry out their activities without introducing themselves to the government and people of Kano State,” he said.
He stated that Islam provides guidelines on how associations should function. He cited a Quranic verse, “Waltaqun minkum ummatun yad’una ilal-khairi wa ya’muruna bil ma’rufi wa yanhauna ‘anil-munkar” (Quran 3:104), which translates as, “You should be a community of people who advocate for the observance of good deeds and forbidding what is wrong.”
He also referenced Egyptian cleric Sheikh Mutwallusshaarawi on the proper conduct of NGOs and quoted the late King of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah, who said, “We are not supposed to live in a country that we cannot protect.”
Sheikh Muhammad Nasiru Adam said the Council remains committed to actions that benefit Islam and society.
“This is the stand of the Council of Jumu’at Imams, and one of its primary responsibilities is seeing what is going to aid and benefit the religion of Islam,” he said.
