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In Defense of Religious Freedom in Nigeria By Babandi Gumel
The sacking of more than 4000 members of the Darul Islam in Mokwa about 100 kilometres from Minna the Niger State Capital raises the question as to whether the Muslims in Nigeria would be allowed to practice their Religion like any other person. According to reports this community was formed more than 16 years ago to avoid mingling with the rest of the majority of the common people whom they see as going against the teachings of the Deen by engaging in sinful activities. If we carefully analyse the whole concept of the Sect we find them very peaceful they cooperated with the police during the evacuation of the members consisting of men women and children to Government Teachers College Mokwa for onwards transportation to their States. They were said to have come from different States of the Country to engage in a kind of retreat like the Jesuit a Christian Sect which was founded in Spain more than 450 years with more than 20 retreats houses and Spirituality Centres in the United States alone. St Ignatius of Loyola a wounded soldier who recovering in Northern Spain of Pamplona who documented his so called mystical experience in 1521 which transformed into the Society of Jesus approved by the Pope in 1558 commonly known as Jesuit. He was said to be the founder of this Male Religious Order of the Catholic Church which has 100 provinces controlled by Curia General of each province all over the world guided by Superior General in Rome the Most Reverend Adolfo Nicholas. They are all allowed to mingle work and coexist with other local churches seeking ways to strengthen their ministries via international collaboration like the nuns who retire to the Churches all over the world. This is typical religious freedom for which we are hundred percent in support of such freedom. Now going back to the topic of our brothers and sisters of the Darul Islam of Mokwa Niger State they tried to shun or avoid the Society which they see as evil and they are right. The Prophet said if any one of you sees something wrong he has to change it with the use of his hand if he cannot he should speak i.e use his tongue and if cannot do that even then he should at least feel it in his heart which is the weakest degree of one’s Iman. Alhmadu Lillahi these our brothers and sisters have stronger Iman than our so called modern Muslims of today who are daily engaged in wrong doings without bothering or caring much. Therefore the question we may ask what is wrong with the approach of these brothers and sisters who have gone on retreat like the Jesuit?. Why should they be penalised for engaging in their peaceful activities ? They are not criminals neither are they terrorists engaging in violent activities nor militants like the Niger Delta Militants who despite the amnesty offered to them are still engaged in violent unfortunate criminal activities like the terrorists yet refused to be dubbed as terrorists or the unfortunate Boko Haram followers massacred in their hundreds including the Leader of the Sect Muhammed Yusuf for simply expressing their opinion that led to the killing of nearly one thousand Nigerian Citizens unnecessarily. The sacking of the Darul Islam Community who were accused among other things the swapping of wives who could hardly be ascertained and the forceful abduction of people as alleged by the Police and denied by the members who expressed surprise at the action of government as seen as violating their religious freedom as enshrined by the Nigerian Constitution. The Leader of the Group Malam Bashir Abbdullahi Suleiman said they are Muslims like any other Muslims who only wanted to practice their Deen according to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and had lived peacefully with their neighbours a and had no case with or against anybody in or outside their community. He said the reason why they isolated themselves from other people was to enable them practice their Deen in the most discreet form as possible and therefore he concluded “jumping on us like common thieves violates our human rights and at the end finding nothing incriminating against us”. All the serious allegations against the members should be investigated by the court of law if they are found to be guilty they should be prosecuted and the worst they can do is to ban the Sect otherwise they must be allowed to practice their Deen and engaged in their lawful pursuits as long they are within the laws as enshrined by the Constitution. As we can all see these people are peaceful and why should they be forced to change their way of lives? So long they followed Rasulullah’s (S.A.W) teachings which all true Muslims should be proud of following not shunning them we should all cooperate with them not condemning them. In our opinion they should be encouraged and not discouraged as there is no compulsion in Religion truth is clear from falsehood and Muslims should stop becoming obstacles for other Muslims to follow their Deen in order to appease others as we would all be accountable before Allah on the Day of Judgement. Wa Akhiri Daawana Anil Hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen. |