Knowledge as a phenomenon is a continuous social process. This was my Experience when I attended an International Peace Conference organized by Sokoto State Government in conjunction with Muslim World League held at the Auditorium of Sultan Maccido Institute for Quar'an and General Studies Sokoto from 29th-30th March 2013 under the theme, "Islam and the fundamentals of peaceful co-existence in Nigeria".
While speaking on the topic "Non-Muslims Rights within Muslim Society" an African Scholar, Dr. Almukashifi Taha Al-kabbashi, Member of the Scholars’ Council of Sudan stated that Christians are "ahlul kitaab and not kafir" meaning "men of the book and not infidels". He defined the rights of Christians within an Islamic society which includes, the freedom to practice their religion. He stated further that "there is no compulsion in religion". To buttress this point he cited relevant provisions in the Holy Qua'ran and Hadith. "There is intermarriages between Muslims, ahlul kitaab and the Jews. You cannot attack them unless they aggressed you and seek to prevent you from practicing your religion", he submitted.
Almukashifi lamented the degenerating social harmony in Nigeria especially the growing rift between Christians and Muslims. According to him, Islam means peace, but contemporary developments misconceived Islam as synonymous with violence based on negative trends associated with it. Islam abhorred violence and no true Muslim will embrace violence as crusade mechanism for Islam, he argued.
It was an interesting eye opener for me because I was also guilty of this negative stereotype that violence has some established traditions in Islamic history due to the way and manner some clerics propagates Islam. The concept jihad has created serious misgivings between Nigerian Christians and Muslims because to non Muslims it simply means the killing of kafir (infidels) in prosecution of holy war. I had listened to some clerics making derogatory remarks about Christians in their sermons. It now baffles my imagination from where did such clerics derived their own revelations which contradicts the teachings of the Holy Prophet, (Peace be upon Him). I believed fundamentally something is wrong with our religious values.
There is no doubt the answer to this moral decadence lies within the circumference of our socio-political traditions. Religious leaders are first degree culprits of the growing divide between both faiths. Instead of promoting social harmony and peaceful co-existence they have offered themselves as mere tools in the hands of corrupt politicians. As an enterprise for advancing material advantages, religion is central in manipulating the people along primordial sentiments to facilitates their control. Our religious leaders cannot confront political leaders with any question bordering on injustice or corruption rather they preferred night visits to country homes for material considerations which ultimately determine contents of their sermons. He who plays the piper dictates the tune according to African adage. As a result of compromise of obligations, the polity has been contaminated with negative religious sentiments to the extent that non performance, impunity and corrupt practices is celebrated only if culprits belongs to any of the faiths. It's so bad that we have sacrificed credible leadership on the alter of cheap religious bigotry.
Our Muslim brothers must do much to disassociate Islam from these negative image building. Clerics with the penchant for calling Christians kafir (infidels) must be admonished because it is un-Islamic to refer to ahlul kitaab as such. Also, Muslim leaders should explore interfaith dialogue to promote better understanding with other faiths. The use of derogatory words on Christians, no doubt contributed in no small measure to escalates misgivings between them. The exploitation of extremism as vehicle for promotion of militant movements has no scriptural foundations. What also fuel negative impressions amongst Christians is the undignified silence of some influential Muslim leaders to dis associate Islam from activities of arms carrying groups taking cover under religion to prosecute what is purely political agenda
All that is expected from muslim leadership is to distant itself from these criminality and extend hands of friendship for collaboration to contend with these challenges. We cannot achieve any meaningful progress without peace. Experiences of other secular societies should be good guide for our search for peaceful co existence. Here Kenya and America provides good templates for our peace studies. When these countries were attacked both Christians and Muslims united against a common enemy. Indeed they succeeded, but in Nigeria, once there is an attack on the Church, Christians will raise to kill and maim more people than the terrorist attacks, so also the same thing with Muslims. The shout of Allah akabar can send so many innocent souls to heaven or hell. Can we pretense to be serving God when we shed innocent blood? I think there is no justification for it.
To the Christians there is need to shift grounds from antagonist reactions because the Bible enjoys Christians to love their neighbors as Christ love them. We cannot compromise the teachings of Jesus Christ for any other thing else. The Bible says without love nobody can please God. Imagine Our Lord Jesus stating how many times a Christian is entitled to forgive any person that offends him, seventy times seven in one single day yet Christians today disregard this teachings for self seeking vengeance. There is no doubt that any body who wants to follow Christ must carry His cross which the Bible says is heavy. Obviously there is problem with our reactions to perceived persecutions which Jesus clearly defined as part of the price for followership, therefore all that is happening today is devine prophesy for those that believe. Therefore, If we are not watchful many may fall off tract of discipleship.
Gone are the era where followers should blindly submits to teachings without cross checking same with Scriptures. Especially with globalization were the speed of information is without bounds. Both Christians and Muslims alike must purge themselves of the spirit of hatred which is deep rooted in our social interactions. That you left your house for a journey is not conclusive that you may reach your destination. Once there is terrorist attack, then your faith must be reconcile with your route other wise you are a living dead man. Ethnic and religious militias mount road blocks hunting for people of opposite faiths. Religious creeds are used as parameters to determine faith.
I was faced with the same situation in 2001 in Jos, when even as a Christian, I was compelled at a road block to recite the apostle creed at gun point. Of course, such recitations are done usually under solemn situation of worship and not mob guided conditions. Ironically, I could not complete it correctly however, by devine providence the mob concluded that I was one of their own and allowed me to go. We have lost so many lives under these circumstances, so how long shall we continue like this?
We must be honest and sincere enough to admit that both Christians and Muslims are guilty of these carnages in the name of religion. We have enjoyed people co-existence before now therefore it is incredible for spiritual leadership to sacrifice peace for mundane considerations. Once we are able to conquer self greed, the battle line will be drawn for the corrupt political system which benefits greatly from crisis. Imagine resources meant for developments are been cornered in the name of security votes yet Nigerian still sleep with eyes opened. Simply put it we created the atmosphere for bad leadership to exploit it for their personal advantage, then why can we stave them by leaving peacefully? May I conclude that will God admit perpetrators of these atrocities into Heaven as their service to Him on the day of judgement? May God grant us the grace to accommodate each other so that peace and social harmony can prevail in our society amen.
Written by Solomon Dalung and published in Leadership Friday of
October, 18th, 2013.
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