By Imam Murtadha Gusau
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Bestower of Mercy.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all worlds, who commanded us to maintain peace, justice, and security on earth. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is His servant and Messenger, sent as a mercy to mankind.
Dear brothers and sisters! No doubt, our Nigerian security agents are doing their best to defend the nation, risking their lives daily under grueling conditions to ensure our safety. In the face of unprecedented security challenges—from insurgency, terrorism and banditry to kidnapping and civil unrest—these brave men and women stand as the shield between peace and chaos.
Recognising their sacrifices through an Islamic lens allows us to see their service not just as a profession, but as a profound act of faith and devotion to humanity.
Dear brothers and sisters! Know that, security is one of the greatest blessings Allah can bestow upon a nation. Without security, we cannot pray in peace, businesses cannot thrive, and children cannot go to school. Today, we look at our homeland, Nigeria, and we must speak the truth about those who stand on the frontlines to protect this blessing: our soldiers, police officers, customs officials, and civil defense corps.
Many look only at their shortcomings and mistakes, but few look at their sacrifices. They are our Murabitun—the guardians of the frontiers. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:
“A day and a night spent guarding the frontier in the cause of Allah is better than fasting and praying at night for a whole month.” [Sahih Muslim]
Think of the young soldier in the northeast, enduring the scorching heat of the Sambisa forest, far away from his parents. Think of the police officer standing at a checkpoint in the middle of a torrential downpour while we sleep comfortably in our beds. They are doing their absolute best with the resources they have. They bleed so we can breathe. They face bullets so we can sleep.
Respected brothers and sisters! It is easy to criticise from the comfort of our living rooms. But Islam teaches us empathy and gratitude. Allah the Most High says in the noble Qur’an:
“Is the reward for good anything but good?” [Qur’an, 55:60]
Our security agents are humans. They are fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters. When they fall, a Nigerian family is shattered. We must change our narrative from constant condemnation to constructive support and prayers. Let us raise our hands in Du’a for them. May Allah grant them victory over the enemies of peace, protect their families in their absence, and accept those who fall as martyrs.
Dear servants of Allah! The night was pitch black in a remote village in Kaduna State. The villagers were fast asleep, completely unaware that a heavily armed band of bandits was approaching.
Stationed three kilometers away was Captain Ibrahim, a devout Muslim and a fearless officer of the Nigerian Army. He had just finished his late-night prayers, Tahajjud, begging Allah to keep his men safe. Suddenly, the radio crackled. An informant signaled the movement of the bandits.
Without a second thought, Ibrahim rallied his small, exhausted platoon. “Men,” he whispered, looking into their tired eyes. “The people in that village are sleeping because they trust us to keep watch. If we don’t stop these criminals tonight, innocent children will die.”
They ambushed the bandits just outside the village perimeter. A fierce firefight ensued. The enemy outnumbered them, but Ibrahim’s tactical brilliance and sheer willpower turned the tide. He fought like a lion, shouting words of encouragement to his men.
By dawn, the bandits had retreated, leaving their weapons behind. The village was saved. As the morning sun broke over the horizon, the village Chief Imam emerged to call the Fajr Azan. Hearing the call to prayer, Captain Ibrahim wiped the sweat and gunpowder from his face, knelt on the bare earth, and bowed in prostration, in Sujud to Allah. He had not slept in 48 hours, his uniform was torn, and his boots were soaked in mud—but he had done his best, and the village was safe.
Respected servants of Allah! In every society, the fabric of civilisation is held together by law and order. In Nigeria, that heavy, often thankless burden is carried by our security agencies.
It is easy to focus on systemic flaws, but we must never let structural failures overshadow individual heroism. Thousands of Nigerian security personnel have paid the ultimate price. They face heavily armed syndicates, navigate difficult terrains, and work under immense psychological stress. Yet, morning after morning, they put on the uniform. That is not just a job; that is a calling driven by a profound love for the fatherland.
True patriotism means standing behind those who defend us. Our security agents cannot fight this war alone. They need:
● Actionable Intelligence
We must be the eyes and ears that feed them information.
● Psychological Backup
Acknowledging their effort boosts morale more than any salary increase.
● Spiritual Cover
Keeping them in our daily prayers and Du’a.
Remember, when we support our security forces, we are not doing them a favour; we are securing our own future. They are doing their best in a fractured world. It is time for us to do our best for them.
Dear brothers and sisters! Supporting and praying for the success of Nigerian security agencies is not just a civic duty; it is a profound religious obligation deeply rooted in Islamic tradition. In Islam, national security, peace, and the protection of human life are considered sacred objectives, Maqasid al-Shariah.
Respected servants of Allah! Imagine standing guard on a freezing night, in a dense forest, or under a scorching sun, knowing that an ambush could happen at any second. This is the daily reality for the brave men and women of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Police, and intelligence agencies.
The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) gave an incredible promise to those who sacrifice their comfort for our safety. He said:
“Two eyes will not be touched by the Fire: an eye that weeps from the fear of Allah, and an eye that spends the night guarding in the cause of Allah.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhi]
Every soldier at a checkpoint in the Northeast, every police officer patrolling volatile streets, and every operative working silently to dismantle terror cells is earning an immense spiritual reward. They are the human shield Allah Almighty has placed between our families and chaos. When we sleep soundly in our beds, it is because they chose to stay awake.
Dear brothers and sisters! A military is only as strong as the moral and spiritual backing of its citizens. The weapon of the Muslim believer is Du’a (supplication). When the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) went out to battle, he did not just rely on physical strategy; he wept in intense prayer, begging Allah for victory.
We must fear Allah Almighty and stop using our tongues only to criticise, and start using them to supplicate. Imagine the power of millions of Nigerian Muslims raising their hands after Friday prayers, sincerely crying out: Ya Allah, protect our troops. Ya Allah, grant them sharp intelligence, steadfast courage, and decisive victory over the forces of evil.
Let us honour their sacrifices. When you see a security officer, do not look at them with suspicion; look at them with gratitude. Pass them a bottle of water. Give them a word of encouragement. Remind them that a whole nation is praying for them.
During the caliphate of Umar Ibn al-Khattab (RA), a man was seen constantly praying at the Ka’abah, not for himself, but specifically for the soldiers guarding the distant borders of the state. When asked why, he replied:
“If the border falls, the Ka’abah is no longer safe. If the guards perish, the Islamic scholars cannot teach, the merchants cannot trade, and the mothers cannot feed their children. My prayers for them are prayers for all of us.”
This is the exact reality for Nigeria. The success of the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and Civil Defense is directly tied to whether a child in Borno can go to school, whether a farmer in Kaduna can harvest crops, and whether a worshipper in Kano, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Niger, Katsina, Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue, Lagos, Imo, Enugu, Bayelsa, Edo, Rivers, Taraba, Yobe etc, can pray in peace. They are our unseen shield.
Respected brothers and sisters! Our fallen Nigerian security agents are heroes who have paid the ultimate price to defend our nation, embodying the highest Islamic ideals of sacrifice, protection, and love for one’s homeland. In the face of terror, banditry, and lawlessness, these brave men and women stood as an unyielding wall. They did not just wear a uniform; they wore a shield of protection over millions of innocent lives.
When a soldier, a police officer, or an intelligence agent leaves their family to confront danger, they are answering a profound spiritual calling. In Islam, guarding the innocent is not merely a civic duty—it is an act of deep worship.
In the Islamic tradition, there is an immense reward for those who keep watch over the safety of others. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) spoke directly to the spiritual weight of this sacrifice. He said:
“Guarding the frontier for a single day and night in the cause of Allah is better than fasting for a whole month and praying throughout its nights.” [Sahih Muslim]
Our fallen security agents spent weeks, months, and years in the dense forests, arid plains, and volatile highways of Nigeria. They endured sleepless nights, scorching heat, and torrential rains so that families in cities and villages could sleep in peace, trade in markets, and worship in Mosques and churches.
Every moment they stood alert, every heartbeat spent in defense of their nation, was a heavy weight on their scale of good deeds.
And to the families who have lost a father, a mother, a son, or a daughter in the line of duty, the noble Qur’an offers the ultimate psychological and emotional comfort. The loss feels crushing, but their story does not end in the grave. Allah Almighty says:
“And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision.” [Qur’an, 3:169]
When an agent falls while protecting the citizens of Nigeria from harm, they are confronting evil. Standing against those who terrorise communities, kidnap children, and destroy livelihoods is a righteous stand. The bullets that pierced their armour did not destroy them; they elevated them to the rank of the noble witnesses.
Imagine a young Nigerian officer. He looks at the photograph of his newborn child one last time before heading out into the theatre of operation. He knows the risks. He knows he might not return. Yet, love for his country and a sense of duty derived from his faith compel him forward.
When the ambush happens, his instinct is not to run, but to shield his comrades and protect the nearby village. He falls. His blood mixes with the soil of the nation he swore to protect.
His sacrifice is a powerful rebuke to apathy. It demands that we, the living, do not take our safety for granted. It challenges us to ask: If they can give their lives to protect this nation, what are we willing to give to build it?
A true Islamic sermon does not just comfort the grieving; it activates the living. We honour our fallen heroes not through tears alone, but through our actions:
- Support the Families Left Behind
Islam places immense emphasis on caring for the families of those who serve. It is our collective duty to ensure the widows, widowers, and orphans of our fallen agents are never forgotten, never impoverished, and always respected.
- Reject Terror and Injustice
The greatest insult to a fallen soldier’s memory is to compromise with the very evil they died fighting. We must remain united against criminality and division.
- Pray Unceasingly for the Frontlines
Keep the current men and women serving in our armed forces and security agencies in your daily Du’as and supplications. Pray for their victory, their safety, and their return.
Ya Allah, the Lord of Might and Majesty, we ask You by Your beautiful names to protect the men and women of the Nigerian security forces. Grant them sharp vision, unbreakable unity, and unyielding courage.
Ya Allah, expose the plots of terrorists, bandits, and criminals, and make our security agencies a swift weapon of justice against them.
Ya Allah, comfort the families of our fallen heroes. Grant the deceased the status of martyrs and heal the wounded. Turn our fear into security, and bless Nigeria with permanent peace, unity, and prosperity.
Ya Allah, grant victory to our security agents!
Ya Allah, liberate our country from the bandits, terrorists and their oppressions. Protect us from their harm, and safeguard our families and our people from all evil.
Ya Allah, grant victory to our security agents, keep them steadfast upon the truth, protect them from trials, both apparent and hidden, and help the oppressed and the vulnerable everywhere in the world.
Ya Allah, restore security, peace, and stability to our country, and grant it imminent relief and a clear victory.
May Almighty Allah accept the ultimate sacrifice of our fallen Nigerian security agents. May He grant them the highest stations in Jannatul-Firdous, wrap their families in unyielding comfort, and restore absolute peace, security, and prosperity to our beloved Nigeria, ameen.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions and his true followers.
Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761 or +2348024192217.