By Shuaibu Ahmad
Beyond the great wall, came the birth of a great uprising, by a revolutionary so amazing, with a personality so enterprising, who existed for a reason.
History describes humanity as determined by archaeological and written records. However, millions of sensible people believed that the ancient recorded history begins with the invention of writings, hence, the root of civilization reach back to the earliest introduction of primitive technology and culture, talking of Paleolithic Era, Neolithic Era and the Agricultural Revolution in the Fertile Crescent between 8000 and 5000 BCE that marks the systematic husbandry of plants and animals-the change that make civilization possible towards enhancing ingredients of living and humanity.
What is the essence of life?
In life, there are two classes, the class of truth , right , good (TRG) and the class of false, wrong, evil (FWE). Each of these classes has its own elements.
Historically and traditionally what normally use to happen when someone choose the TRG class (T-truth, R-right, G-good) and shun the FWE class (F-false, W-wrong, E-evil)?
When someone grows sadly accustomed to the horrific sad events that are happening to humans on daily bases- killings, massacre, rape, destructions, injustice, fabrications, lies, mass graves and so on, at times some people think otherwise in the sense that they begin to view these tragic events as a sobering spectacle that could make them questioned God.
I believe in the existence of a Supreme Being, Master of all, and the Creator of all. In both Islamic and Christian history, all messengers of God were tested, some were killed ,e.g Prophet Yahya (a.s). History revealed that prostitute danced for the ruler of his time and the ruler asked her for the reward she wanted and she said the head of Prophet Yahya (a.s). That ruler cut off his head and gave it to her.
Some were imprisoned like Prophet Yusuf (a.s). Prophet Ibrahim (a.s) was thrown into fire and Prophet Nuh (a.s) was beaten to the point of death dragged on mud and dumped outside the city,his people decided to make his boat to be their public toilet , e.t.c .
Tyrants of the time of Isa (a.s) ,Jesus did the same to him .
In the Holy Qur’an, Allah says “And indeed, We gave Musa (Moses) the Book and followed him up with a succession of Messengers. And We gave Isa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), clear signs and supported him with Rooh-ul-Qudus [Angel Jibril (Gabriel)]. It is that whenever there came to you a Messenger with what you yourself desired not, you grew arrogant? Some you disbelieved and some you killed”.[Albakara 2:87]
The seal of Prophets and Messengers of Allah , Muhammad (S) was attacked in uhud by the pagans of Hijaz under the command of Abu –Sufyan headed by Khalid bn Walid to the extent that the pagans shouted “we have killed Muhammad” because he was fatally wounded and was dragged on the sand by them without any sign of life in him at that moment.
Imam Husain (a.s), grandson of Prophet Muhammad(S) was massacred together with his followers in the plains of Karbala in the yeah 61A.H, his head was cut off, and drag naked, their tent was set on fire children and women were also massacred, all by the Army of Yazid bn Mu’awiyah.
Reflecting at what happened in Zaria , Kaduna state of Nigeria between 12th to 14th December ,2015 to Shaikh Zakzaky and his wife , the massacre of 1000+ of IMN members including three of Shaikh Zakzaky’s sons , his sister and nephew burnt to death ,himself and wife were fatally wounded with multiple gun shots by the Nigerian army under the watch of the Chief of Army staff Lt. General Y.T Burutai ,Kaduna state Governor Nasir El-Rufai and President Muhammadu Buhari, one will clearly understand that Shaikh Zakzaky, his wife, his children and his followers chose the TRG class – truth, right and good as the Prophets and Messengers of God did. Shaikh Zakzaky lost six sons in less than eighteen months.
With the kind of unscrupulous behaviour some people were exhibiting in name of hatred for Shi’a in the area where bodies of killed innocent people were lying after the the Zaria blood birth one will understand the need of a true revolution – Change of attitude.
I was embarrassed when a friend of mine saw a clip showing some people jubilating and stealing items belonging to massacred bodies said to me "These people that are stealing phones and money from the pockets of the massacred bodies , removing their rings are they Muslims ?" I told him yes he said to me "I never thought in northern Nigeria where Islam has been in existence for hundreds of years people will demonstrate such anti Islamic and barbaric behaviour, are they human beings with all senses of humanity and human dignity"?
I kept mute because I have no answer to give him , at that moment , I only wished he had not seen the clip.
So many people around the world felt bad about that particular embarrassing act demonstrated by some people who look physically well.
If there is no life after death the essence of living in this world has no meaning. Although historically, killers and oppressors harvest the seeds they planted here in this world before their death. The likes of Ramsis Thani (Faroh of Egypt) , Haman ,Karun , Aba Jahal , Shah Muhammad Ridha Pahlawi , Ariel Sharon , Gen Sani Abacha etc.
In all societies, manifestation of injustice, tyranny, unjust rulership, dictatorship, cruelty, occupation and all kind of inhumanity gradually makes reasonable people to start thinking of a way out of the above stated evil acts. They gradually start thinking of changing from that terrible condition to a better way of living. Naturally, people wish to be remembered in the most honorable way even if one did not believe in life after death.
Interestingly, in Islam, anyone who sacrifices for the sake of Allah, for the sake of unity, peace, development, humanity, standing against oppression and injustice, and in the process of that he become killed (Martyred ) his good and quality position here in the word and in the hereafter is beyond description- here comes the birth of all true revolutionary enterprise.
There are so many revolutions as I mentioned earlier, looking at the revolutions of the 21st Century , one will conclude that the only successful and true existing revolution is that of Ayatollah , Rohollah Al-Musavi Al-Khomeni of the Isalamic Republic of Iran. It is a complete revolution because it’s an intellectual revolution that guides people towards the TRG (T-truth, R-right, G-good) path.
I once heard the leader of the Islamic Movement, Shaikh Zakzaky, whose six children were massacred by the Nigerian army explaining the meaning of revolution as: – “change of mind, change of attitude, people have one set of ideas and they behave in one way and they change those set of ideas and behave in a different way”.
For almost four decades, this Charismatic leader Shaikh Zakzaky whom I value and accepted his explanation of the meaning of revolution have been preaching without violence and crime and was able to be patient despite all the intimidations, lies ,fabrications, conspiracies against him ,killings of his children and followers.
Changing the attitude millions of people and their way of thinking from uncooked reasoning to cooked one have qualified him to a true revolutionary icon of the 21st Century. A charismatic and cherished personality that follow the foot step of Imam Khomeini (Q.S).
Allah is the Creator of all, He alone created us and he loves His creation. He gave us faculty of existence and observations, He has not created human beings like the flora and fauna but He has endowed human biengs with spirit and animation.
He bestowed human beings with the best futures of face and body, He gave human beings external and spiritual senses.
About six years back , I was in a car and heard through a loud speaker a scholar was saying that in a Hadithul Qudsi, Allah says: "If I were to be asked to choose between killing a single soul
(He said a soul, any soul and not only the soul of the believer) and destroying heavens and earth, I would have chosen destruction of the heavens and earth rather than to kill a single soul. I created the soul and decreed that once killed I would not bring it back to life until the day of Judgement while the heavens and earth by My powers, I would reconstruct them."
Similarly, it was reported that the Prophet (S) looked at the Ka’aba and said "How exalted are you Ka’aba? God has exalted you but the soul of a single believer is more exalted than you." [Sunan Tirmizi & Silsilatus Sahiha tradition number 3420]
Thus, if one were to be given an option between destroying the Ka’aba and killing a soul, one would rather choose destruction of the Ka’aba. This is so because the Ka’aba could be reconstructed but the soul can’t be brought back to life once killed.
Furthermore Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:
"Whosoever kills any soul unjustly, will have a recompense of Hell, wherein he would dwell eternally, and God is annoyed with him, and He (God) has prepared for him a severe punishment."[Nisa’i 3:93]
How would someone massacred 1000 + of innocent creatures of God including women, students and children and live in peace? God will not allow him rest.
Conclusively, I will like to call on the president of the Federal republic of Nigeria, General Muhammadu Buhari to release the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Shaikh Ibraheem Zakzaky unconditionally, for proper medical checkup by his doctors immediately. Holding him under detention illegally will not change anything, his Movement is uncrushable, he built the Movement with TRG tools (T-truth, R-right, G-good), the Movement is a non-violent Movement and peaceful. Mr President Sir, what you should do now for your own good is to set him free, apologise to IMN and the families affected by the ungodly massacre and compensate Shaikh Zakzaky and the rest of the IMN members.
Beware of prayers of the oppressed. If Mr President, General Burutai and Narsir Elrufa’I can uproot Zuma rock, lift it up and then walk with it above your heads to a different location, that one is easier than crushing and wiping nearly 40-million non-violent and well-coordinated citizens and supporters of Shaikh Zakzaky who strongly believe in TRG (T-truth, R-right, G-good), as well as martyrdom.Think of the best way to live in peace with them as they are part of the society and peaceful.
Furthermore, set up an independent committee to investigate the massacre consisting of independent individuals who are not directly or indirectly party to that massacre. All those involved should be brought to book.
Shuaib Isa Ahmad
sahmadi51214@yahoo.com