Recent attempts at demonizing the Islamic Movement in Migeria by Western Arrogance: An Insight. By Dauda Nalado
We may not be unaware of the incessant local and international reports focusing on the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and its leadership in both the electronic and the print media. Of recent, the CNN report, theTELL Magazine article, The Africa Report article and the CTC Sentinel (produced by Combating Terrorism Centre , WESTPOINT) report immediately come to limelight: Look at some of the captions:
Insecurity: The Middle East factor; Northern Nigeria: An Iranian haven’s future implications; The Islamic Movement and Iranian Intelligence Activities in Nigeria. A careful look at these reports, however, reveals that they emanate from the same source, CIA- MOSSAD hub. The subjects of these write-ups have always been Iran, Hizbullah and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria under the spiritual guidance of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H). These reports are trying hard to portray the Movement as a terrorist outfit and thus prepare the grounds for its planned assault by the antagonists. The rather more voluminous distorted analysis by their agent Jacob Zenn in the October issue of the said CTC Sentinel calls for special attention.
The article clearly depicts the finger prints of a collection of spy activities. There are many issues raised. These include issues on Islamic revival in what he coins as ‘revivalist Islam’, spread of what they call ‘Khomeinism’ in Nigeria by Iran, antagonism towards USA and the West, unemployment, Muslim Christian violence, mobilization of people to Shiah gatherings, Shiah Sunnah sectarianism, Sokoto Crisis, activities of Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, reaction of Muslim masses to the blasphemous film, innocence of Muslims, issue of Muhammad Yusuf, JTI and Izala, Boko haram saga, Othman Danfodio legacy versus the Sultanate, and Iran relations with Hizbullah, Africa, Latin America, among others.
The nature of this write up would not allow us to take up the raised issues one by one. Rather, a holistic approach is preferred. The crux of the matter is that the woeful crash of western capitalism and the exposure of democracy as a tool for manipulation have made the culprits who target World genuine resistance to become declining powers on one hand. The dynamic, symbiotic, just and highly prospective real Islamic system spearheaded by Iran has made it a rising super power, on the other hand. So the raging battle ensures.
Imam Khomeini, who led the Islamic Revolution in Iran, was a unique divinely ordained personality. He raised the hope of the oppressed peoples of the World when all hopes were lost. He referred the revolution as “victory of blood over sword”. Its past and present impact serves as an inspiration to Asia, Africa and Latin America. The foundation of the contemporary wave of Islamic awakening, which is deliberately called Arab Spring, could be clearly linked to the robust revolution.
The Western hegemony on the other hand thrives on parasitism. From slave trade, colonization, neo-colonization and re-colonization, they put World peoples under subjugation, poverty and humiliation. They implant their stooges and perpetually usurp peoples’ resources. They promote conflicts, tribalism, sectarianism and internecine wars to divide people and rule them. In other cases they unleash war of aggression and subsequent occupation. They are responsible for creating a cancer worm in the midst of Islamic World by usurping Palestinian lands and putting the illegitimate and racial Israel in place. They fragmented Hijaz (Arab peninsula) and curbed out a Kingdom
whose authority is based on an alien doctrine which promotes sectarian division among Muslims. They ensured that this viral authority controls the two most sacred Muslim places of worship- Makkah and Madinah.
It is through this exit that the Western arrogance are able to form and sustain ‘jihadist’ outfits such as al Qaeda, Nusra front, Boko Haram, Ansarudden et al., across MENA (Middle East and North Africa), West Africa and the AFPAK (Afghanistan- Pakistan) corridor. These demons only wreck havoc in our countries camouflaging and misleading people with some Islamic slogans and anti Western rhetoric. Of course all these are perpetrated to depict Islam and Muslims as terror and terrorists respectively. Thus, they justify their aggressive war on terror (WoT). WoT is a systematic plan to halt the advance of their only challenging rising power (Islam, based on the divinely inspired understanding of its principles as applicable in our contemporary time by the reformer of the Century, Imam Khumayni (QS)). May be that is what they refer to as ‘Khumeinism”.
With the above brief background, we can now attempt to narrow down our focus on the Nigerian situation. It could be observed from the malicious article trying to demonize the Islamic Movement and its revered leader, his Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem Ya’qoub El-Zakzaky (H) that the sponsors seriously ally some fears and at the same time nurture wishful thinking.
These fears may not be unconnected with the virtues and high prosperity of the Movement to succeed in establishing of a full pledged robust and hijack-free revolution similar to that of Iran. At this juncture, it is worthy to mention some of these virtues so as to debunk the propaganda of the antagonists that the Movement poses a potential danger to peaceful coexistence.
The Islamic Movement, in its over thirty years of existence, call people towards fulfillment of their mission as the vicegerents of Allah (SWT) on the Earth. This entails, among others, earning the pleasure of God, social justice, equity and real respect for fundamental human rights (not rhetoric). This is a scholarly task involving the intellect. It is a purely non violent approach. In fact, it is the members of the Movement that are always being attacked by vested interests who feel that this call threatens their hegemony in one way or the other. To add salt to injury, the antagonists use their propaganda machinery to portray such aggression as violence caused by the defenseless members of the Movement. A typical case of this was the Sokoto crisis.
As part of efforts to promote intellectualism, the Movement has both native and English websites which are continuously updated. There are also its Hausa Almizan and English pointer express newspapers. The famous Unity Week is being conducted annually to foster Muslim Unity.
In this program, scholars from different locations in Nigeria and Niger Republic and having different background school of thoughts are invited to share knowledge and experiences. Apart from intra cohesion efforts, the movement also engage in inter religious efforts to foster understanding between Muslims and Christians.
Reverend Joseph Hayap, Special Adviser to the Kaduna State Governor on Christian Matters, at a programme organized by the Islamic Movement, remarked that: “Sheikh Zakzaky is a genuine embodiment of peace and unity in Nigeria”. Christian clergies regularly pay homage to him, and also listen to his sermons and benefit from his wisdoms. Pastor Yohanna Buru of the Evangelical Church in Kaduna and Chairman, Peace Revival and Reconciliation Movement who is a regular visitor to Sheikh Zakzaky recently called for the establishment of a Christian segment in the fold of the Islamic Movement. The focal point of the Movement had always been demand for social justice, and this affects even non-Muslims as well.
Again, the Movement carries out philanthropic activities. Prominent among these include the generous blood donation to specialist and Teaching Hospitals facilitated by its organ, the ISMA Medical care initiatives. The National blood transfusion centre had presented the Leader Sheikh Zakzaky with certificate of appreciation to this effect.
The Shuhada foundation of the Movement sponsors the education of the children of Martyrs in addition to other living expenses.
Among the undisputed virtues of the Islamic Movement is that of consistency. It has been both consistent and steadfast in the pursuance of its laudable goals. Even antagonists attest to this stark reality. There were several but futile attempts to derail the Movement from its principles. This feat is established under the divinely inspired guidance of the revered leader Sayyid El- Zakzaky (H).
Another very crucial aspect of the Movement which makes the World Arrogance fear is the ability of the Movement and its leadership to garner the support of Nigerian masses on fundamental common issues. The unprecedented solidarity during the ‘ labbaika ya Rasulillah’ protests done against the blasphemous film ‘innocence of Muslims’ establishes this fact. No wonder the sponsors bent on demonizing the Movement could not hide their jitters but to mention it vividly in their article.
Based on those fears the arrogant powers plan and execute clandestine operations aimed at preventing the Movement from achieving the desired objectives. They have tried hard to ensure perpetual intra and inter religious conflicts. They wish that a sustained Muslim-Christian conflict ensures in Nigeria. That is why they bomb Church congregations and kill innocent worshippers under the guise of a faceless Boko Haram. They are the Boko Haram!
In the case of intra frictions, they wish to foment and sustain Shiah- Sunnah conflict. Alas! They could not do either! The Sokoto Crisis was to be used as a litmus test. It failed. They tried to portray it as a crisis between Shiah and Sunnah while in reality it was a plan by World arrogance that used the foolish Governor Wammako to unleash terror on innocent members of the Movement, especially on their ‘imam’. Of recent, the unjustifiably detained members are released back home and they conduct their normal activities with renewed vigour more than ever before. Who then is the looser?
As mentioned earlier, they use the sectarian exit and establish such merciless set ups to ridicule and kill both Muslims and others under pseudo jihad. They manufacture insecurity to achieve sinister goals. In this regard they had tried to link Boko haram with the Movement but the attempt failed. They also tried to be attacking the Movement under the guise of Boko Haram. This also backfired. The case of the attack on Markaz at Potiskum attests to this fact.
They tried hard to prevent the dynamic influence of the Movement on the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) since after the unparallel positive impact contributed to it by the then youthful El-Zakzaky during his student days at Ahmadu Bello University. They had to mention this in their article. The MSSN is now grossly inactive. In some cases its activities could be described as divisive and hence retrogressive.
Conclusion.
Western Capitalism is fast catching up with the fate of its sister communism. They are bound to be labeled as ‘failed isms’ in the annals of history. The Hitherto cherished democracy is exposed. It is only a tool used for manipulation. Thus, the Western hegemony is on the decline. The dire quest for global social justice spearheaded by a robust and vibrant Islamic system as being practiced in Iran is gaining momentum. This is the rising potential power. Therefore a battle between the duos ensures.
In Nigeria there is a highly Prospective Islamic Movement under the revered leadership of Sheikh Ibraheem el-Zakzaky (H). This Movement has potential to succeed in a full pledged hijack-free revolution similar to the one in Iran. This could lead to the establishment of socially just society to take care of majority and minority rights in the Nigerian society, thus replacing the tyrannical order currently being operated by the stooges and puppets of the Western arrogance.
The arrogant powers wish to prevent this. They continue to plan. That is why they are now preparing the public mind against the backdrop of any assault on the Movement through articles and reports in both electronic and print propaganda media.
They do not like to engage the Movement directly because of the inherent repercussions. The aftermath of the Brutus Abacha crackdown on the Movement attests to this fact. Instead they had wanted to hide under faceless actors in whatever name. One day their devilish eager and greed would prompt them to act. That would be the beginning of their end. One thing we are certain: That they will never succeed.
Their doom is in this misadventure. "How oft by Allah’s will hath a small force vanquished a big one? Allah is with those who steadfastly persevere.