TMC urges Muslims to embrace digital trends in promoting da’wah, honours members

By Bukola Hameed

The Muslim Congress (TMC), Oyo State Chapter, has called on Muslims to embrace digital technologies as essential tools for strategic planning in shaping the future of Islamic work.

This message was conveyed at the organisation’s Annual Congress, held on Sunday, 15th September 2024, at TMC Da’wah Centre, Ologuneru, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Delivering a keynote lecture, Dr. Ishaq Ogunwande emphasised the importance of adopting strategic approaches to Islamic activism, noting that society is evolving rapidly. He highlighted that the digital world presents both challenges and opportunities for Islamic workers, with new possibilities for development emerging daily.

Dr. Ogunwande encouraged Islamic scholars to utilise social media for teaching authentic Islam, offering guidance and counselling, and promoting the Arabic language, amongst other benefits that digital platforms can offer.

Earlier in the event, the Waali (State Coordinator) of TMC Oyo State Chapter, Alh. Engr. Daud Oladosu, expressed his gratitude to members of the Muslim Congress for their unwavering dedication to the organisation’s development.

In his address, Engr. Oladosu stated that TMC Oyo State would continue to utilise social media to guide both the youth and the wider Muslim community. He expressed dismay over the tendency of some Muslim scholars engaging in verbal disputes online, urging Islamic workers to promote pristine Islam on social media in accordance with the Qur’an and Sunnah, avoiding insults and mockery.

The Amir of The Muslim Congress, Alhaji Abdul Wasi Taiwo Bamgbala, also commended the efforts of TMC members in Oyo State, recognising their contributions, both physically and financially, to the benefit of society. He urged members to remain steadfast in their efforts to propagate Islam, reminding them of the significance of this work for their Hereafter. Alhaji Bamgbala further praised the multimillion-naira Da’wah Centre project currently underway at Ologuneru, Ibadan, and called on other states to follow suit in such development.

During an inspection of the second slab of the construction at the Da’wah Centre, which has recently cost almost twenty million naira, the National Asset Maintenance Officer of The Muslim Congress, Alhaji Sherifdeen Akano, appealed to philanthropists to support the project. He stressed that the Centre would be of immense value to the entire Muslim community.

As part of the event, TMC Oyo State Chapter’s Public Relations Officer II, Mallam Abdul Hameed Abdur Raheem, was awarded the title of Most Outstanding State Executive of the Year. The criteria for the award included financial commitment, creativity, initiative, dedication to TMC activities, and membership recruitment efforts.

Additionally, Oyo West ranked third in the Most Outstanding Local Government category, with Oluyole coming second and Ibadan North taking first place. Ibadan North East was also recognised for its success in membership recruitment, receiving the award for Best Local Government of the Year in Membership Drive.

The programme was attended by notable figures, including TMC patron Alhaji Lukman Akinyemi, Alhaji Zainu Abidden Abdul Ganiy, Dr. Murtadho Olajide, and Ustadh Maruf Oladejo, among others.