Lockdown!

I came accross a post written by a Muslim saying the government (of Nigeria) didn’t order you to stay at home so as to feed you, it is not their rights to make provisions of what to eat, the citizens are ingrates for complaining about ₦100 loaf of bread…

The least to say to such balderdash is that the writer is more of an irresponsible political member justifying the inadequacies of his pay masters.

Such mindset is not applicable to a democratic government where there is a rule of law. It is the mindset of military junta. When the Prophet prohibits animal be locked up without a palliative measure, talkless of human.

In saheeh Bukhari, it was recorded the Prophet solla Allahu alayhi wa sallam described Allah’s punishment of a woman who was sent to Hell because of a cat. She kept her locked up, neither feeding her nor setting her free to feed herself.

The whole essence of government in Islam is social welfare (Masalih Ibaad). So, how could a Muslim write such irresponsible write-up when he could have simply advice the government to provide more palliative measures and an appropriate method it could reach the downtrodden.

A writer of such write-up and anyone who shares the same mindset are very selfish. If you share such mindset because you are a salary earner who is receiving monthly pay without working ( Oga ta, Oga o ta, owo alaaru aape) how could you be heartless about the plight of those who earn their livelihood on a daily basis by going out to work? Your case is ” bamu bamu ni moyo I don’t care if others are hungry”

It is a shariah rule that once you forcefully prevent people from earning their livelihood (for whatever reason), then you must provide palliative. If one could incur Allah’s wrath for locking ordinary animal without provision, so how would that of human be different?

Those with such mindset can as well argue that the government is not under obligation to feed prisoners, then how about innocent citizens who have faithfully complied with stay at home directive?

Then they could also argue that government should not give civil servant monthly salary since they are at home and doing nothing. Is it only civil servant that is entitled to government support? If those with such mindset want to be sincere, they should deduct the days of their stays at home from their salaries and return it to their employers.

COVID-19 is not a death sentence. The Oyo state governor just survived it within 6 days(either true or false), the point is, with a good immune system, you can win it. How will a person who cannot afford one basin of garri without work boost his immune system with Vitamin C foods?

Yes, it is obligatory to abide by the law of the government. It is sunnah to stay at home at this time. Likewise, it is a right of the government to provide for the less privileged in this turbulent time. Saying otherwise is not expected of a Muslim.

This is the time countries are subsidizing housing rents, electricity bills, and etc to her citizens. If such are not realistic in Nigeria, then, at worst the kind of palliative the government are expected to provide is not a loaf of ₦100 bread for a street with ₦50 sticker on it.