Tuesday, 27 December 2016

ALSO DELAYED THE RESPONSE TO DU’AA’ - NASIHA PART 2


ALSO DELAYED THE RESPONSE TO DU’AA’ - NASIHA PART 2

MASJID PLOT 94 ODUDUWA CRESCENT, PHASE 2 SITE 2, KUBWA

BRIEF MASJID NASIHA –  BY BRO. ABBA ABANA,

http://variousislamicdawadocuments.blogspot.com

abba.abana@gmail.com, gonidamgamiri@yahoo.com

WHY DOESN’T ALLAAH ANSWER OUR DUAAS?

SATURDAY MORNING, 12TH NOVEMBER 2016, 12TH SAFAR 1438

TEL 08186961697 (WHATSAPP)

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

We thank and praise Allah SWT, the Compassionate, and the Merciful. We bear witness that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah…Who is so near to all of us and so ready to respond to our pleas for help and guidance. We bear witness that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu alyhi wasallam) is the true and the last Messenger of Allah, who called on Allah (Subhanahu Wa Taala) night and day in his salaah (prayer) and in humble supplications (du’ahs) appealed for guidance. O Allah, shower your choicest blessings on him, his friends and relatives, all those who, through their fear of Allah, their love and their total dependence on Him, spent their time in the remembrance of Allah and beseeching Allah to accept their efforts in life.

This article is on why doesn’t Allaah answer our Duaas – Part 2?

Last Week 5th November 2016 We Discussed On The Following:

1.      Section 1: why doesn’t Allaah answer our duaas?

2.      Human dead hearts

3.      Things which may prevent du’aa’ from being answered

4.      Section 2. etiquette and rulings of answering prayers (aduas)

5.      Section 3 -does Allaah delay the response to du’aa’ for the one whom he loves?

6.      Section 4. Financial business transactions tilted towards unclean acquiring wealth:

7.      Consuming haraam wealth because they took life is attached to this dunya.

8.      Section 5. Consuming haraam wealth through corruption and fraud?

9.      types of fraud perpetrated in a typical business,

10.   frauds with employers,

11.   Section 6. abuse of functions/offices

Today, we focus on other aspects of Haram Food Consumption which may prevent Du’aa’ from being answered by Allah.

Section 7: Prohibited Matters in Business Transactions

Aspect of business ethics is the various forms of unethical business practices a Muslim must avoid in his business dealings.

 

1.      Dealing In Prohibited (Haram) Items

Dealing in unlawful items such as carrion (dead meat), pigs and idols is strongly prohibited in Islam. Dead meat would mean the flesh of any bird or animal dead from natural causes, without being properly slaughtered in an Islamic way.

A Muslim, therefore, will not eat the flesh of such an animal or bird. Flesh of an electrocuted animal, or of an animal killed by the blow of a blunt weapon, and of the strangled one is also proscribed in Islam. Also proscribed is the flesh of the animal that has been killed or slaughtered in ways other than Islamic. It is, therefore, not permissible for a Muslim to trade in dead meat. Likewise, trading in pork or intoxicants and sale of idols and statues is not permitted in Islam. A verse of the Holy Qur’an says: Forbidden to you [for food] are: dead meat, the blood, the flesh of swine and that on which name of other than Allah has been mentioned. (Holy Quran Chapter 5:1).

The Holy Qur’an also says: O you who believe! Intoxicants and gambling [dedication of] stones and [divination by] arrows are an abomination of Satan’s handiwork: so avoid it in order that you may prosper. (Holy Quran Chapter 5:90).

The Prophet (SAW) is also reported to have said; Allah and His Messenger made illegal the trade of alcoholic liquors, dead animals, pigs and idols. (Bukhari, No: 2082). The Prophet (SAW) also said; If Allah makes something unlawful, he makes its price also unlawful. (Ahmad, No: 2546). 

2.      Sale of Al-Gharar (Uncertainty, Risks, Speculation)

In Islamic terminology, this refers to the sale of a commodity or good which is not present at hand; or the sale of an article or good, the consequences or outcome of which is not yet known; or a sale involving risks or hazards where one does not know whether at all the commodity will later come into existence. Such a sale is strictly prohibited in Islam because the quality, whether good or bad, is not known to the buyer at the time of the deal and there is every possibility that the contract may give rise to disputes and disagreements between the concerned parties. The Prophet (SAW), therefore, prohibited the sale of what is still in the loins of the male; or sale of whatever is in the womb of a she–camel; or sale of birds in the air; or the sale of fish in the water, and any transaction which involves Gharar. (i.e. anything that involves deception). He also forbade the sale of fruits before they look healthy and also the sale of crops until the grain hardens. Nevertheless, such advance sales would be acceptable if the element of Gharar does not exist and the quality and the quantity of the goods are pretty well known and predictable.

3.      Hoarding of Foodstuff

Storing foodstuffs or withholding them in expectation of rise in their prices. Sometimes, a handful of traders operating in the market buy the entire quantity of an item, rice for example, and store it up with the object of selling it later at the time of scarcity to draw maximum profit out of it and to dictate the prices. The consumers are left with no choice but to purchase the article concerned from the one who hoards, as he is the only one in the market who holds it. Sometimes, a trader hobnobs with the suppliers who will only sell their merchandise to him. As a result, he holds the entire stock of the essential items that other traders do not possess. He is, therefore, in a position to dictate his terms in the market and sell them at an exorbitantly high price to the needy people. This is an unjust practice and a clear case of exploitation and deservedly condemned by Islam. The Prophet (SAW) is reported to have condemned the hoarders when he said: No one hoards but the traitors (i.e. the sinners). (Abu Da’ud, No. 2990).

He (SAW) also said: The importer [of an essential commodity] into the town will be fed [by Allah], and the hoarder will have [Allah’s] curse upon him. (Ibn Majah, No: 2144). 

4.      Exploitation of one’s Ignorance of Market Conditions

One of the most common unethical practices in modern business is to exploit one’s ignorance of market conditions. Sometimes it may happen that a buyer arrives in a town with objects of prime and general necessity for selling them in the market. A local trader may persuade the new-comer to transfer all of the goods to him so that he will sell them on his behalf in the market. He obtains the commodities on a price that is lower than market price and then sells them at a high or exorbitant price. Islam condemns this act of intermediary intervention which involves exploitation of one’s ignorance of market conditions. The practice was prevalent in pre-Islamic society. The Prophet (SAW) has prohibited this practice through a number of instructions. A tradition reads: A town dweller should not sell the goods of a desert dweller. (Bukhari, No: 2006). 

5.      Trickery in business

The term Al-Najsh means an action in which a person offers a high price for something, without intending to buy it, but just to cheat or defraud another person who really means to buy it. The person practising it may collaborate with the seller to offer high prices in front of the buyers merely as a means to cheat them. This type of fraudulent transaction is totally prohibited in Islam. The Prophet (SAW) is reported to have said: Do not harbour envy against one another; do not outbid one another [with a view to raising the price]; do not bear aversion against one another; do not bear enmity against one another; one of you should not enter into a transaction when the other has already entered into it; and be fellow brothers and true servants of Allah. (Muslim, No: 4650).

Islam forbids the practice of ‘’sale over sale’’ and ‘’purchase over purchase’’. This means that it forbids someone to offer a higher price for a commodity after the deal has been accomplished between the parties. Obviously he is offering a higher price in order to spoil the agreement reached between the parties. As a result of this offer the buyer may feel tempted to cancel his contract to sell it at a higher price. It may give rise to disputes and disagreements between brothers. Hence it is strictly prohibited in Islam.

6.      Cheating and Fraud in Business Transactions

The traders and businessmen generally have a tendency to motivate the customers by adopting fraudulent business practices. Islam strongly condemns all such practices in business transactions (Al-Ghashsh). The Messenger of Allah has commanded the believers not to indulge in cheating and fraudulent practices in business transactions. Sale of dead animal, dubious and vague transactions, manipulating the prices, selling the items belonging to a desert dweller by a townsman Al-Najsh (trickery), false eulogy and concealment of defects are all examples of cheating and fraud i.e. Al-Gashsh. The Prophet (SAW) has strongly condemned all such practices in a number of traditions and the believer to abstain from them.

The Prophet (SAW) is reported to have said: The seller and the buyer have the right to keep the goods or return them as long as they have not parted. He also said that if both the parties have spoken the truth and described the defects as well as the merits thereof (the goods), they would be blessed in their deal. If they have told lies or concealed something, then blessings of their transaction would be lost. (Bukhari, No: 1937)

7.      Swearing

The traders often take recourse to swearing to emphasize that their items are of good quality. They claim qualities in the merchandise, which don’t exist. They try to persuade the buyers to purchase their commodity by invoking Allah’s name. Swearing in business for such purposes is forbidden in Islam, be it false or true. False swearing is an act of sin punishable by hellfire. Swearing by Almighty Allah is too great a thing to be used as a means to sell a commodity. The desirable thing in business transaction is that both the buyer and the seller remain straightforward and truthful in their dealings, so that no one will feel the need to swear by Allah in order to create conviction in the mind of the other party. The Prophet (SAW) is reported to have said: Swearing [by the seller] may persuade the customer to purchase the goods but the deal will be deprived of Allah’s blessing. (Bukhari, No: 1945). 

8.      Giving Short Measures

Another form of deceit is to manipulate weights and measures. It refers to the act of taking full measures from others and giving them short measures in your turn. Giving short measures was a common malaise plaguing the pre-Islamic days. The community of the Prophet Shu‘ayb (SAW) was known for practising it with impunity. Consequently, they were destroyed for their persistence in deceit and disbelief in Allah and His Messenger. Allah the Almighty has repeatedly commanded exactitude in weights and measures. One of the verses says: And give full measure when you measure, and weigh with a just balance. That is good and better in the end. (Holy Quran Chapter 17:35). 

9.      Dealing in Stolen Goods

Almighty Allah has declared thievery unlawful and warned of severe punishment such as cutting the hand of the thief from the wrist joint if the necessary legal conditions for the award of punishment are met. Even if the thief escapes worldly punishment and gets away with stolen goods, it is not permissible for a Muslim to knowingly purchase or sell these items. The stolen items are neither to be bought nor sold by those who know the reality. The Prophet (SAW) made the person knowingly buying a stolen commodity a partner to the crime. He said: The one who knowingly purchases a stolen good, is a partner to the act of sin and the shame. (Kanz Al-‘Ammal, No: 9258).

Section 8: Insurance Fraud

In Islam, Insurance is haram according to Shariah. Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime. When people cheat insurance companies out of money, the honest people that pay premiums pay through increased insurance costs.

The reason why all forms of commercial insurances prevalent in modern trade are unlawful and against the principles of Shariah; is that they have either an element of interest (RIBA) or chancing (QIMAR), both of which have been explicitly and sternly forbidden by Allah Most High in the Qur’an, Chapter 2 verses 275-279.
And, regarding chancing and gambling (qimar), Allah in Qur’an, chapter 2 verse 219) And Qur'an, chapter 5 verse 90.

This is the reason why the great contemporary scholars from all over the world have declared all types of prevalent insurances unlawful (haram), unless when one is compelled to affect it by the Government.
The Islamic Fiqh Academy (Jeddah), and which consists of top recognized scholars from around the globe researched the issue in considerable depth. The meeting was attended by no less than 150 such scholars from 45 Islamic Countries, including respected Shaykh Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him), and they unanimously declared all types of prevalent insurances to be unlawful.

1)      Stolen Car: There are two ways that criminals perpetrate the stolen car insurance fraud scam. The first type of stolen car fraud is when a car owner sells his car to a body shop to be cut up for parts and then reports the car as stolen. The body shop is in on the fraud, so the authorities are never told about the sale for parts.

The second most common way that criminals commit stolen car fraud is to sell the car to an overseas buyer, make the transaction without any paperwork, ship the car overseas and then report it stolen.

2)      Car Accident: The next time you see a car accident, you could be watching insurance fraud in action. In most cases, the driver and accident victim are the only ones in on the scheme. In other cases, the driver, victim, insurance investigators and even some of the bystanders that give statements are in on the fraud. The value of the vehicles is greatly inflated and the insurance payoff is for two totaled vehicles.

3)      Car Damage: Any form of insurance fraud is illegal and damaging to the insurance company. Some people will report a small car accident, get an estimate for damages, collect the insurance check and then not get the car fixed. This is single most common form of auto insurance fraud going on, and it happens constantly. The people doing it see no harm in it, but the money the insurance company pays out comes from premiums paid by other customers, which will go up the more often this fraud is committed.

4)      Health Insurance Billing Fraud: Unfortunately, health care professionals will sometimes get in on the insurance fraud act. Health care providers to bill health insurance companies a high fee for a standard procedure, or to bill for services that were never rendered.

For example, you may go in for a regular check-up but your doctor decides to bill your insurance company for an in-office surgical procedure that never happened. The patient is the victim of fraud and does not even know it.

5)      Unnecessary Medical Procedures: If it seems like your doctor is ordering you to go for unnecessary testing, then you may be the victim of insurance fraud. If you go to the doctor for a sore arm but your doctor orders a series of blood tests that have nothing to do with your arm, then that could be a common form of insurance fraud.

6)      Staged Home Fires: Homeowners’ insurance fraud costs insurance companies and their customers billions of dollars each year. One of the most common form of homeowners’ insurance fraud is the staged fire or act of vandalism. This can be done in one of two ways. The homeowner either removes important family items before the fraud takes place, or the homeowner makes sure that the insurance company knows the value of the expensive items and then has them destroyed.

In almost every case of a staged home fire, the homeowner is not home and can account for his whereabouts when the event took place. Criminals are hired to set fire to the home, or break in and vandalize the home to make it look like the homeowner was victimized.

7)      Storm Fraud: Criminals will take advantage of any situation to commit insurance fraud, including a major storm. A common form of fraud that happens in the wake of major storms is homeowners will either enhance the storm damage to their home to get more of a settlement, or the homeowner will take advantage of how busy the insurance company is and call in a claim even if there was no storm damage.

8)      Abandoned House Fire: One of the most common forms of homeowners’ insurance fraud is the abandoned house fire. It can happen for a variety of reasons, but the end result is always fraud. The homeowner could have been transferred to a different city because of his job and cannot sell his property, or a landlord owns a home in a neighborhood that is no longer popular and cannot get tenants to help pay the mortgage.

If you have ever been at the scene of an abandoned house fire after the flames have been put out, you will see at least one fire inspector for the insurance company on site. This is an extremely common kind of insurance fraud that not only causes premiums to go up, but it also puts the buildings next to the abandoned home in jeopardy as well.

9)      Faked Death: This form of insurance fraud is so common that it has been the plot of many movies, television shows and books. A criminal will take out a life insurance policy on himself and make his spouse the beneficiary. After the policy has been in effect for several months, the insured criminal fakes his death and his spouse is paid the death benefit. When the funeral is over, the spouse suddenly disappears and the insurance company is out the death benefit.

10)   Renter’s Insurance: People who rent homes or apartments will often take out inexpensive renter’s insurance policies to cover the cost of their possessions. Prior to moving out of the home or apartment or when financial times get bad, the insured will sell their possessions and then report them stolen to collect the insurance money.

Insurance fraud affects everyone in some form or another. When your auto insurance premiums go up, that is partly due to insurance fraud.

11.The Ruling Regarding Prevalent Forms of Insurance.
Insurance is chancing[1] in the sense that the premiums are paid for certain, whereas the return is uncertain. You may lose all the premiums you paid or may receive in return more then what you paid. This is known as chancing. There is also interest as money is being exchanged here for money and one party pays less and receives more in return.

12. How About Car Insurance?
However, it should be remarked here, that since third party car insurance is a mandatory legal requirement for every car-owner, one can affect this kind of insurance, as it is not possible for one to avoid it.

13. Is There An Alternative?
Islamic financial institutions offer a viable and Islamically-accepted alternative, which is a form of cooperative insurance through such institutions.

Section 9: Banks

1.      Types of Fraud Cases

Cash and Bank (cash payments, deposits and payments from bank) include but not limited to; Electronic bank fraud, Cheque fraud, International bank fraud, Loan fraud, Credit card fraud etc. this is an area people have specialized in defrauding.

Bank fraud is a serious financial crime that involves the unlawful obtainment of funds from a bank or other financial institution.
Bank fraud cases are usually distinguished from outright bank robbery as they rely on the use of deception and confidence tricks rather than the threat or use of violence.
Bank fraud cases come in many different forms, including several types of Cheque fraud, identity theft, embezzlement, and document fraud.
Many bank fraud cases involve the theft, forgery, alteration, or misuse of Cheques. The simplest form of this type of fraud may be Cheque theft, where the criminal steals Cheques from another person, then uses them to make purchases.
Criminals may also use forgery to alter Cheques they receive for a transaction, for instance changing a N200 cheque into a N2,000 cheque by adding a zero.
Cheque fraud can also be done by the rightful owner of the Cheques. Cheque kiting, or passing bad Cheques, is a type of bank fraud that involves writing Cheques despite knowing that there are insufficient funds in a bank account to cover the purchases.
The frequent occurrence of this form of cheque fraud is why many businesses will only accept Cheques up to a certain value, and why many financial institutions charge a high fee for bounced Cheques.
Bank fraud cases involving identity theft are a serious and growing problem in the era of the Internet. With so many transactions being made online, thieves and hackers are frequently able to access bank account and credit card information from unwitting consumers. Fraudsters can also use obtained names and addresses to apply for fraudulent accounts, credit cards, and loans.
Embezzlement occurs when a bank worker steals funds from customers or from the bank itself.
Banks guard rigorously against embezzlement in a variety of ways, since this type of bank fraud can be extremely damaging to the institution's reputation. Bank fraud cases involving internal theft usually are managed by people with considerable power within a bank branch, since they have the most access and opportunity and are generally perceived as trustworthy.
Document fraud involves the creation of fake documents to help a fraudster get a loan or open an account. Documents that may be fake include ID cards, property deeds, references, or asset statements from other institutions.
Fraudsters may use these documents to open accounts under assumed identities or to receive preferential rates and account options. In some cases, the criminal will try to get a loan using fake names and fake documentation, then “disappear” after receiving the funds, leaving the bank at a serious loss.
Internet bank fraud is very common nowadays. Hackers can even get through reliable web stores and steal card information.
2. Different Types of Bank Fraud.
Banking fraud is any falsification, theft, misinformation or otherwise illegal method used to obtain money through or from a federally regulated banking system.
Different types of bank fraud may involve various forms of identity theft and can be divided into five categories including electronic, cheque, international, loan and credit card fraud.
Accounting and securities fraud may operate independently of, or in conjunction with the following types of bank fraud.

a)     Electronic bank fraud

Electronic bank fraud can involve identity theft via interception of online banking data or unauthorized wiring of money via a financial institution. Trojan horses, and phishing schemes make use of email to install and manipulate unsuspecting people into divulging personal financial information. After information is obtained, the parties in illegal possession of banking information may then attempt to use it to deceitfully obtain funds.   

b)     Cheque fraud

Cheque fraud has been in existence as long as Cheques have and has many methods. Some of these methods of bank fraud include counterfeit Cheques, cheque kiting, and altering Cheques. 

c)      International bank fraud

International bank fraud may combine cheque fraud with offshore banking fraud in the form of false lottery payments or cheque payments.  For example, an alleged lottery winner may be required to provide an upfront fee or transfer of money before the deposited cheque is identified as fake. When the money doesn't materialize, the criminal may be long gone with your money. The use of offshore banking institutions may also constitute bank fraud if it involves tax evasion.
'Prime Bank Fraud' is also a form of international bank fraud that promises high yields of return for upfront costs via investment in 'international securities' that don't actually exist.

d)     Loan fraud

Loan fraud may be conducted on the part of financial institutions and borrowers. In the case of borrowers, loan applications may contain false information so as to propel the bank of a false financial security. On the other hand, banks may also defraud borrowers as is the case with mortgage fraud.

e)     Credit card fraud

Credit card fraud is perpetrated when identify theft or false identity is used to unlawfully obtain funds from financial institution via credit card. In many cases of credit card fraud, the card or the identity of the card holder is intercepted using any number of techniques including sale of false products, phishing, skimming, and mail theft.

Section10: Accounting and Computer systems

1)      Corruption in Computer System Application and IT

The limitations encountered in organisations are sometimes frequency of changing Accounting System that leads to limited inability of knowing required information from the previous years’ accounting software particularly in the Oil Sector. Thus, accounting packages are assumed to be migrated to International systems which gave rise to huge home country organizational losses. Same goes to nations not comfortable with the operation.

2)     Corruption in Annual Budget And Budgetary Controls

The establishment of Budgets, relating the responsibilities of Nations and corporate chief executives to the requirement of a policy, and the continuous comparison of actual with budgeted results, either to secure by individual action the objective of that policy or to provide a basis for its revision. A critical element of the budgetary control process likely confirms that budget availability for a specific expenditure is mostly or grossly misused. Thus, huge Budget but revenue are understated due to inherent frauds and ‘’no one queries or ask the abnormality’’. Going by the qualified audit report (GAAP or the CAMA (1990 or Forensic Audit) etc.) the systems seemed kept away without implementation of the reports to later.

These gave straight rooms for the subsequent generations to continue the corruption. Thus, by November each year, virtually Ministries and Departments in the Public Sector they clear all unspent figures or seek approvals for virements in order to clear ‘’Budget Code heads”!

3)      Corruption in Human Resources Directorates: These are authoritative tools and are so powerful that Employment/promotions are used as personal favor while merit is ignored.

4)      Corruption by Powerful Politicians: these Leaders play key role of God-father syndrome in the society and thus influence or resist any change. The most terrible scenario lies with spending government resources or tax payer’s money as their own and their subjects play the game for them {hard earned taxpayers' monies (embezzled by our public servants/politicians)}.

5)      Payments (in Local and Foreign) particularly Foreign payments and letters of credit; this is where the top level huge payments is approved and located. Do you easily see total number of transactions and value of the Letters of credit processed with prompt recording; control and follow up of all payment documents to appropriate Government Agencies? Are these payment documents properly stored and easily retrievable for inspection? Going by the qualified audit reports, the systems are not ready for implementation of the reports to later.

6)      Payment of (payroll) – salaries, wages and manpower. This is huge allocation which annual payroll might not match to Human Resources Directorate records? Do you question of ghost workers’ pay? Equally do taxes deducted by agencies wholly remitted to the Internal Revenue appropriate Bank accounts or fake accounts?

Another issue is payment of staff overtimes, Bonus, Shift Allowances payments etc. are all these claims genuine or some are fictions claims? Do reports actually reach the top level?

7)      Corruption in material purchases to warehouses/stores: Corporate bodies or Government workers or individual companies’ workers secretly collude with suppliers to steal ‘’materials’’ from warehouses or stores and re-supply them to civil servants or corporate bodies or individual companies; thereby recycling of same materials back to warehouse or stores.

8)      Materials management and central procurements:  Procurement directorate itself; where all supplies via contracts are received into Warehouses, through trafficking of items, stocking of items including projects items; where huge budgetary losses are carpeted without recognizing actual details.

The Material Management Directorate also keeps the  purchase order master files, tender quotation documents, completed orders (receipt of goods to the appropriate goods receiving/stores records), authorized signatory etc. where huge assets/materials procured are sometimes ‘’paper work’’ rather than physical value driven.  Finally, Fake emergencies are declared just to enable pre-planned equipment/materials/components to be supplied by a contractor without going through the approved procurement process.

9)      Cash bribes on direct payments: Some corporate bodies or Government workers or individual companies’ workers in some cases demand money before they process payment documents for them. Thus contractors should pay cash down to expect their own contracted payments.

10)   Fraud in crude oil- Those countries dealing with Crude Oil, Petroleum Products Sales:

The Stock Reports (Petroleum Products & Crude Oil) are in most cases not fully accounted for in the interest of the nations. These in some cases might include non-Daily Delivery Reconciliation, Crude Daily Production Reconciliation, and Offshore Daily Production Report.

Excess Stock Management / Reconciliation of End well drilling / Project Materials, Insurance, Materials Certification etc. these could have been included internal presentations.

How about the physical foreign revenues to the nations dedicated accounts? Are these accounts checked and reconciled periodically? The nation might be talking of millions of Dollars/Pound sterling etc. earned monthly, but are these actually paid and remitted wholly for nations’ corporate bodies executives for their appropriation and spending?

11)   Fraud in mineral resources: Those countries dealing with mineral resources; almost all Earth materials are used by humans for something. We require metals for making machines, sands and gravels for making roads and buildings, sand for making computer chips, limestone and gypsum for making concrete, clays for making ceramics, gold, silver, copper and aluminum for making electric circuits, and diamonds and corundum (sapphire, ruby, emerald) for abrasives and jewelry.

These Natural resources include: - aluminum, Iron, Zinc, copper, silver, Gold, Uranium, Platinum, Chromium, and Titanium etc. Those countries without mineral laboratories to test the purity of their mineral resource are always cheated by mining workers if not closely monitored the minerals produced and to check the quality and quantity of those minerals - something that is done in the laboratories. 

With the laboratory, the right information on the exact calculation of the royalties due to owner and government is ascertained. Incidents of mineral smuggling and the laboratory are used as proof to show what is produced in the mines and what is actually exported.

12)   Customs duties and Other incomes might not be disclosed: Nations Income and Investments in different industries could not have been fully disclosed. Do we actually check and put it in right perspective? Those paying revenue might not have been given appropriate receipts or the sub-receipts are not fully accounted for to the Government and companies. Huge amount (Millions) could be collected as revenue but partial amount paid over to reflect the books.

Advances (Staff Loans and Advances); Advance Payments and Deferred Charges are not fully disclosed in the books of the corporate bodies sometimes because the executives are either recipients or low level staff are copying what the top are doing?

13)   National/corporate Projects administration: Difficult to see evidence of compliance with the project monitoring procedure required for major contracts payments. The director in charge might not give periodic report on; approved budget total for each project; expenditure on each project; variances and explanation; number and value of construction change orders.

Seldom are the bar charts of schedule showing work in progress and work already completed and schedule of mile-stones, and significant events are produced.

The summary of progress during the reporting period, summary of existing problems, if any, and proposed remedial action; and anticipated problems; and percentage of completion are either not produced or understated.

14)   Crude oil Fixed Assets and Well Material & costing: Difficult to see evidence where workers perform reconciliation of Well Drilling Materials and project material at the end of the well drilling and/or project to assess completeness of excess material disposed off or available during the year. In some cases the signed agreement is flawed which require the director to present a report listing of excess materials in its stock list.

This system is perfect in foreign countries where the shareholders representatives are fully on ground to stick fully on the agreements and implement the process. In the corrupt nations, the foreign shareholders might be overtaken by the motive of the resident nation.

15)  Petroleum products sales, lifting and recording huge losses

Petroleum products losses resulting from diversion of petroleum products by Transporters/Fleet Managers who failed to deliver or discharge petroleum products at designated filling stations across the nation/country.

Most frauds take place in Under-lodgement of revenue or sales due to failure of some Dealers ( i.e. a petroleum dealer might have 10 filling stations) to deposit daily sales proceeds of petroleum products into parent company’s designated bank accounts.

Worst disgusting situation is the outstanding debt to parent company going by sales and lifting of products by the dealers.

These losses are incurred due to a combination of factors which include weak governance structure, lack of adequate manpower to support sudden growth in the network of dealers, lack of automation of their processes, weak financial and operational controls.

A thorough forensic audit if given time will bring out that some dealers workforce perpetuated fraudulent activities in connivance with workers and Transporters which resulted in huge financial losses to the Parent Company.

Thus, such sales of petroleum products ended up with flagrant disregard for approved operational guidelines, procedures and policies for running the company and Lack of due diligence prior to engagement of most of their dealers and Fleet Managers in verifying the integrity of the entities.

Generally noted are some filling stations’ owners who adjust the pump meter down from normal sales of petroleum products. If pump price is N120.00 per litre and displayed outside on their notice/sign boards; in reality one litre is sold for N165.00? Whom are you deceiving? Definitely you are deceiving yourself and you pay for it after death from your good resources.

Section 11: Federal Government Ministries and local Governments: In some national ministries, State governments, corporate organizations and local government councils; Jobs that can be done in - house are awarded to contractors.

Again the Corporate bodies or Government workers or individual companies’ workers sharing inflated contract sums/variations and contingency sums with contractors.

Contractors preparing (confidential) in-house estimates for contracts they are to bid for. Multiple registration/bidding by contractors.

Money changing hands before corporate bodies or Government workers or individual companies’ worker sign Local Purchase Orders (LPO’s) or contracts. Contract agreements are also drafted by corporate bodies or Government workers or individual companies’ workers to favor contractors to the detriment of corporate bodies or individual companies.

Some corporate bodies or Government workers or individual companies’ workers using official time to run their private businesses, hence they are hardly “on seat” to do the work for which they were employed.

Corporate bodies or Government workers or individual companies’ workers awarding contracts to their own or surrogate companies. Some corporate bodies or Government workers or individual companies’ staff hoarding knowledge/official information from colleagues in the normal course of work. Purchase of refurbished assets at the price of new ones for supplies to offices.

Habitual late coming/loitering by both top and lower cadre. Some don’t even have time to report early and close at appropriate time. Some transferred workers being allowed the luxury of choosing who takes over from them. Senior corporate bodies or Government workers or individual companies’ officers successfully resisting official transfers or postings or deployments.

Contracts given to incompetent contractors for personal gains. Etc. Why do you employ staff and again start looking for external contractors? The answer is kickback?

Federal and State Government Muslim workers/politicians, are you convinced that this business you are doing is free from frauds and corruption in line with what Allah commanded us to do? Today, if you compare and contrast your revenues to your expenses, one would quickly deduce that majority of what should be done is not carried out.

What answer would you give Allah SWT after your death? Do remember that Allah will ask you even ‘’atom’s’’ weight of what you have done whether good or bad? In the next world there would no power, money, knowledge etc. except what is done ‘’good’’ accepted by Allah! Do not boast of your position now i.e. Minister, Governor etc.

When would you show concerns and examples of why you should change or improve from past mistakes of handling public finances or tax payer’s money?

Secion12: Judges

1.Bearing False Witness

AIIah, Most High says; {Those who witness no falsehood and if they pass by futility, they pass by it with honorable (avoidance)} (Holy Quran AI-Furqan: 72). {And shun the word that is false} (Holy Quran AI-Hajj: 30). It was narrated that, "Bearing false witness is mentioned twice as equal as associating others with Allah (in the Qur'an)"( Reported by Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah).

The Prophet (pbuh) said, "On the Day of Judgement, the feet of the person who bore false witness will not stir from their place before their owner is condemned to Hell.”(Reported by Ibn Majah and AI-Hakim).

2.Taking People's Property Through Falsehood

Injustice may be exercised by stealing people's property, beating and insulting them, or by violating and overbearing the weak persons.

Allah, Almighty says, {Think not that Allah doeth not heed the deeds of those who do wrong. He but giveth them respite against a day when the eyes will fixedly stare in horror, they running forward with necks out stretched, their heads uplifted, their gaze returning not towards them, and their hearts a (gaping) void! So, warn mankind of the day when the wrath will reach them: then will the wrong doers say, "0 Lord! Respite us (if only) for a short time: we will answer Thy call, and follow the Messengers!"

"What were ye not want to swear aforetime that ye should offer no decline? And ye dealt in the dwellings of men who wronged themselves, and you were clearly shown how we dealt with them, and we put forth (many) parables in your behoof} (Holy Quran Ibrahim:42-45)

3.The Dishonest Judge

Allah Most High says, {And if any fail to judge by what Allah hath revealed, they are unbelievers.} (Holy Quran AI-Ma'idah: 44). {And if any fail to judge by what Allah hath revealed, they are wrong-doers.}

(Holy Quran AI-Ma'idah: 45). {And if any do fail to judge by what Allah hath revealed, they are those who rebel.} (Holy Quran AI-Ma'idah: 47).

4.Judges and Bribery

Allah Most High says, {And do not eat up your property among yourselves for vanities, nor use it as a bait for the judges, with intent that ye may eat up wrongfully and knowingly a little of (other) people's property.} (Holy Quran Al-Baqarah: 188).

Muslims are prohibited to bribe a judge or a public officer to unfairly obtain a decision in favor of one's self against a rival or to unlawfully consume the property of others while they are aware of the prohibition of this act.

5.Judges and Islamic Inheritance Law distribution to legitimate heirs

Holy Quran Chapter 4 – Al-Nissa – Verses 11, 12 & 176

4:11   Allah commands you as regards your children (inheritance), to the male, a portion equal to that of two females; if (there are) only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is half. For parents, a sixth share of inheritance to each if the deceased left children; if no children and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased left brothers or (sisters), the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases is) after the payment of legacies he may have bequeathed or debts. You know not which of them, whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. (These fixed shares) are ordained by Allah, and Allah is ever all-knower, all-wise.

4:12   in that which your wives leave, your share is a half if they have no child; but if they leave a child you get a fourth of that which they leave after payment of legacies that they may have bequeathed or debts. In that which you leave, their (your wives) share is a fourth if you have no child; but if you leave a child they get an eighth of that which you leave after payment of legacies that you may have bequeathed or debts. if the man or woman whose inheritance is in question has left neither ascendants nor descendants (al-khalala), but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies he (or she) may have bequeathed or debts, so that no loss is caused (to anyone). This Is A Commandment from Allah; And Allah Is Ever All-Knowing, Most-Forebearing.

4:176 they ask you for a legal verdict, say, “Allah directs (thus) about al-khalala (those who leave neither ascendants nor descendants as heirs). if it is a man that dies, leaving a sister but no child, she shall have half the inheritance. If (such a deceased was) a woman, who left no child, her brother takes her inheritance. If there are two sisters, they shall have two-thirds of the inheritance; if there are brothers and sisters, the male will have twice the share of the female. (Thus) does Allah make clear to you (his law) lest you go astray? And Allah is the all-knower of everything.

4:12 refers to uterine (same mother, diff father) siblings while 4:176 refers to full (same father and mother) or consanguine (same father diff mother) siblings

LEVEL I – PRIMARY (Immediate) HEIRS

The primary (or immediate) heirs classified as Level I are:-

1.         The SPOUSE (Husband or a maximum of four Wives)

2.         The CHILDREN (Sons and Daughters)

3.         The PARENTS (Father  & Mother)

4.         The GRANDCHILDREN (Son’s SON or Son’s DAUGHTER only)

(Applicable only when the SON is already deceased only and has offspring)

LEVEL II – SECONDARY HEIRS

The secondary heirs classified as Level II are:-

1.         The GRANDPARENTS (Paternal and Maternal)

2.         The BROTHERS and/or SISTERS (In the absence of Father and Son ONLY)

3.         The UNCLES and/or AUNTS (In the absence of Grandparents ONLY)

4.         The NEPHEWS and/or NIECES (In the absence of Brothers and Sisters ONLY)

Under Islamic Law, the primary beneficiaries of a deceased person are his/her IMMEDIATE (Level I) Heirs. i.e.; Spouse(s), Children, Parents and Grandchildren (if children are deceased only). The Grandchildren that are entitled are only the Son’s Son or the Son’s Daughter. Daughter’s children are not entitled even if the Daughter is deceased.

In the absence of some or all of these heirs the secondary beneficiaries (Level II) become Heirs under various conditions. In the absence of a particular Heir (e.g.; Uncle) if and when he/she is entitled the children of that Heir become eligible.

Clear frauds include understatement of heir’s property and/or sidelining of such heirs to the nearest relatives and boundary of Judge’s opportunities in the secondary heirs classified above. This is the greatest area where Allah’s direct Commandments are directly abused in many parts of the nation by the near relatives, strong men and women who influence injustice.

Are you prepared for Death[2]?

Death is not the absolute end. It is just the discontinuation of unity between the body and soul. It is a change from one state to another and a transition from this present life to that of the hereafter.

This life, which we are living, is the testing ground for which there shall be only two consequences, Paradise or Hellfire. Unfortunately more than often we disregard death, as we are so attached to this world and the love of which has been established in our hearts.

“Certainly, they see it as distant, but We see it as near” Soorah al-Ma’arij (70): 6-7

Death only becomes a reality when a close beloved one dies. The heart feels heavy, the eyes shed tears and there is, at that moment, a present fear of death. If we were to spend even a single moment each day thinking about death, it would bring forth many concerns? The greatest being our Hereafter:

He Who has created death and life, that He may test you, which of you is best in deed.” Holy Quran Al-Mulk (67):21.

So we stop and consider what we are doing with our time and where we are heading, and then realize that much of it is wasted in light talk, in laughing, in pursuing that which is not going to benefit our Hereafter.

 “This World in comparison with the world to come is just like one of you putting his finger in the sea. Let him consider what it returns with.” (Muslim)

Do you expect all Aduaas to be answered by Allah when you indulge in the above injustices?

And Allaah knows best.



[1] [= 'relying on or inviting the risks of chance' - Merriam-Webster's Unlimited Dictionary]
[2] By Imam Al-Qurtubi; Taken from Paradise and Hell-fire (At-Tadhkirah Fihw Alil Mawta Wal-Akhira)
 

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