By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has called on the younger Muslim generation to combine both Islamic and Western education to impact positively on the society.

“Muslim children need to have both Islamic and Western knowledge. Every Muslim parent should strive to assist their children in acquiring and practicing what they learned to make them useful citizens,” AbdulRazaq said at the first graduation ceremony of Zayd Ibn Thaabit Centre for Qur’an Memorization held in Ilorin.

“As a government, we are not only encouraging Western education, we are also promoting Qur’anic and Islamic education for the good of the society.”

AbdulRazaq was represented by the Special Assistant on Humanitarian Affairs Abdullateef Adebara.

The event was attended by dignitaries from within and outside the state, including the Mutawali of Ilorin Dr Alimi AbdulRazaq; NNPCL Non-Executive Director Mohammed Ghali; Chairman ATISBO Local Government Area of Oyo State Muhammad Bashir Olumuyiwa; Chairman Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board Prof Raheem Adaramaja; Prof AbdulRazaq AbdulMajeed Alaro; CEO SANRAB Petroleum Alh Abdulkareem Sanni, Senator Ahmed Muhammad and the Proprietor of the Centre Dr Kamalud-Deen Ajijolakewu.

Others include the representatives of Kwara State Commissioners of Education and Works; traditional rulers, members of the academic community, and Islamic scholars.

The Mutawali of Ilorin, for his part, encouraged the graduates to make good use of the acquired knowledge to promote the growth of Islam.

“The tenet of Islam is to uphold high moral values by imbibing lessons of Qur’an and Hadith to become responsible citizens,” Dr AbdulRazaq advised.

Prof Alaro also encouraged parents to instill in their children knowledge of the Qur’an to give them everlasting peace and rewards both in this world and in the hereafter.

“Memorising more than 600 pages of Al-Qur’an is not possible with any other book. We see that as a manifestation and fulfillment of the promise of Allaah to continue to protect the Qur’an,” the don asserted.

Ajijolakewu advised parents to make it a point of responsibility to always support their children and encourage them to memorise the Qur’an for their success in life and the hereafter.

Highlights of the occasion were the presentation of certificates to the 33 graduates and fundraising for the institute’s complex.