Why Muslims should not
attack Igbos
Tameem
Garga.
Being
a Muslim, I am striving very hard to have bit knowledge on every aspect of
Islam. Notwithstanding, Islam enjoins Muslims not to say what one has no
knowledge about. But I want so say something on this (reprisal attack) because
I have consulted Islamic scholars before writing this piece. I am not a resourceful
in Islamic dos and don’ts, but as a victim of reprisal attack, whose father was
killed in one of such religious crises in Jos, I have consulted a lot of
scholars and finally come to know that reprisal attack on the innocent people
is one of the grievous sins in Islam.
If
that cannot be justified, corrections can be welcomed.
I have a lot of Christian friends in Jos:
David Onotu, Richard Ali, Barrister Tan and many others. In Kaduna I have a
Chris, a co-worker at Success Academy, Lupa, Ruth Ezenwa(a student) to mention
but few. I cannot mention how many Christian friends I have in ANA Kaduna. I have
a good cordial relationship with these people. And I enjoy the privileges that
the friendship with them gives me.
Now
let see what the Islamic view points on this is.
1. Islam
does no forbid Muslim to relate with non-Muslim totally. This is stated in the
Qur’an as follows: As for those (of the unbelievers) as do not not fight against you on account of (your) faith,
and neither drive you forth from your homelands, Allah does not forbid you to
show them kindness and to behave towards them with full equity: for verily,
Allah loves those who act equitably. QUR’AN 60: 8
The
above verse, according to scholars, shows that Muslim must treat non Muslims
with kindness unless such non Muslims in particular who persecute Muslim (not
those who did not)
2. Islam
commanded us to pity humanity regardless of religious inclination. There is a
hadith of the prophet that says: He who does not pity mankind, Allah does not
pity him. It is narrated from Hisham bin Hakeem, who said; “I bear witness that I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say;
‘Allah will punish those who punish the people in the Dunya (world).’”
3. Islam says we should not attack non-Muslims
that live with us. According to Shaha
al-Deen al-Qarafi: The treaty of
protection imposes upon us certain obligations toward the ahl al-dhimmah (non
Muslim minority in Islamic states). They are our neighbors, under our shelter
and protection upon the guarantee of Allah, His Messenger (saw), and the
religion of Islam. Whoever violates these obligations against any one of them
by so much as an abusive word, by slandering his reputation, or by doing him
some injury or assisting in it, has breached the guarantee of Allah, His
Messenger (saw), and the religion of Islam.
There
are numerous Hadith that command the protection of non Muslim in Muslim
Community. The prophet (SAW) said: who ever hurts a DHIMMI (Non- Muslim in the
Islamic state) hurt me and he who hurts me angers Allah.
He,
Messenger of Allah says: I shall dispute with anyone (Muslim) who
oppresses the person from among the people of the Covenant (Non-Muslim) or
infringes on his right, or burdens him beyond his strength, or takes something
from him against his will.
He
also said: anyone who kills a person from among the people with whom there is a
treaty, will not smell the frangrance of Paradise.
Albani
Zaria once said: if we, Northerners attack any Igbo or Yoruba because they
killed our people from the south, we have violated the right of Islam……….we
shall pay them Diyya (compensation)
Brothers,
Islam does not allow acts base on whims and caprice. We should desist from
doing any ignorant act that could endanger the peace we enjoy.
May
Allah protect us and our Nation.
Comments
Post a Comment