The Mufti of Uganda,Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, has called on Muslims across the country to honour and preserve the legacies of their deceased parents, especially those who made lasting contributions to the Islamic faith and community development.
Delivering a sermon during memorial prayers for the late Haj Abdu-karim Walugembe in Kalungu District, the Mufti emphasized that respecting and emulating the good deeds of one’s parents is a divine commandment enshrined in the Qur’an.
“It is the duty of every believer to uphold the values and legacy of their forefathers, especially when those values served the faith and society at large,” Mufti Mubaje told the congregation.
“Many respected elders were devoted to the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC), but after their passing, some heirs distanced themselves from the Council.”
The late was hailed as a prominent businessman and a committed volunteer in the UMSC since the 1970s.
His memorial prayers drew several Muslim clerics and civic leaders to his ancestral home in Kalungu, Greater Masaka.
Drawing from Surat Al-Qalam (The Pen), verses 17–29, the Mufti recounted the Qur’anic parable of a wealthy, generous man whose children failed to maintain his tradition of charity, leading to divine punishment and the ruin of their wealth.
He warned that failing to continue the good works of parents could result in both spiritual and material loss.
The Mufti commended Walugembe’s children among them Sheikh Hamid Sserwadda Busungu, his regional assistant for Kampala, and Haj Uthuman Kimera for continuing their father’s legacy of service to Islam.
He further urged Muslim parents to provide both religious and secular education to their children to ensure they grow into responsible and legacy-conscious citizens.
The event also featured speeches from senior UMSC officials. Hon. Counsel Muhammad Ali Aluma, the Deputy Secretary General for Finance and Administration, addressed the state of affairs at the UMSC, while Sheikh Imran Ssali, the Secretary for Religious Affairs, emphasized the importance of moral conduct.
Other speakers included Sheikh Juma Mawejje Kabanda, West Buganda Regional Assistant to the Mufti, and Sheikh Yasin Nseera, Kadhi of Masaka and Kalungu.
They paid tribute to the Majlis Al Ulama (College of Eminent Sheikhs) for re-electing Mufti Mubaje and applauded him for attending the memorial in person his first visit to the region since resuming office.