Fanaticism has puffed its horrendous smoke to block reality and that is affecting the psyche to be reacting to petty, light and unweighted things. That is true of Nigeria’s ethno-religious terrain. The Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto incident that cut short the sacred life of Samuel Deborah opened the vault window of humming intolerance that exists among the people across the six geo-political zones in the country. Any sane and right-thinking person will not defend the condemnable bloodcurdling act of the so-called defenders (of the Prophet Muhammad, S.A.W) that calls for instant fairness if not public execution of the people involved to nip such act in the bud. Yet, the classmates of the two suspects caught among them still have the guts to protest such formidability and keep constituting nuisance.The acclaimed lovers of the prophet are disguising to be one for a true lover of the Prophet will emulate his ways and follow his teachings.
He maintained a good relationship with non-muslims in Medina after his hijra (Migration) from Mecca. Even, on his prophetic mission to Tohif, it was never recorded anywhere that he cursed or took a reprisal attack against the people of the land instead, he leniently prayed for their enlightenment and atonement of their sins when the people of the said place stoned him mercilessly while preaching to them. In an atmosphere like this, Nigerians tend to lose themselves to spewing derogatory remarks towards a particular ethnic group or religious adherents if care is not taken, this injection is on its way to re-awake the dying religious acrimony/civil war when its spigot is allowed to turn on. Islam literally means PEACE nothing more!. And never bield terrorism and whoever clutch terrorism is on a wrong ahkida (belief), which is sheer evident of extremism that stealthily comes in.
A recorded case below debunked the diabolical act of those who had hands in the barbaric killing of the young girl; In Abubakar Dan Shalla V. State 2007 LPELR -3034-(SC) Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad (JSC as he then was) (now Chief Justice of Nigeria) emphatically held: “The trite position of law under Sharia is that any sane and Adult Muslim who insults defame or utter words or act which are capable of bringing into dispute, odium, contempt the person Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) such person has committed a serious crime which is punishable by death. See Alkhursi commentary on Mukhasar Al-Kahlil vol.8 page 70 Hashiyatul vol.2 page 290. However as observed by the court below, Islamic law has not left the killing open in the hands of private individuals; the offence alleged has to be established through evidence before a court of law.
“The court itself has to implore its professional dexterity in treating the case by allowing fair hearing and excluding all the inadmissible evidence or those persons who may fall within general exemption clause such as infants, imbecile or those who suffer mental delusion. Thus, the killing is controlled and sanctioned by the authorities….. the law will thus, {would} have set a dangerous precedent if private individuals were authorised to take law into their own hands as the appellant did in this case. Sharia guarantees and values the sanctity and dignity of human life. That is why it outlaws unlawful killing of human life….” The verdict above unhesitatingly struck a needle of implications and guilt on the mob and blood-thirsters. Muslims and Christians are human beings and their respective beliefs should not be a roadblock when the principles of humanity, respect and tolerance apply.
But painfully, some people are still using the happening as an avenue to spit out the poisonous venom in their minds on the issue they are not well-informed about. The ongoing junkies, nonsensical, provocative fire of commentaries and fake photos percolating the social media on this matter are not helpful but can rather add fuel to the lying tensions. Kudos to the plethora of Islamic clerics who uncover the truth and re-painted the worldview of Islam to ward off the wavering stereotype of the religion and its adherents. And the pro-activeness and reaction of both governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state and Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state towards the stubborn protesters await a thunderous applause; at least it will attract a peaceful restoration and assure a wider comfortability.
Jimoh Abdullahi,
Badagary, Lagos state
