By Ibrahim Usman
Huras (Guards and Orderly) arm of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria under His Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, had organized a two-day seminar as part of effort towards synergy and understanding between other arms of the Movement for successful conduct of events.
The seminar which started on Saturday (27/09/2014) and ended Sunday, drew speaker who deliberated on issues of cooperation, understanding and mutual conduct of events, as well as how to tackle emerging challenges.
His Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky gave a closing remark at the end of the seminar, which took place at the Hussainiyyah Baqiyyatullah, Zaria. The Leader described Hurras as ordinary members of the Islamic Movement but with additional volunteer responsibilities of ensuring orderliness in conduct of events, as well as provision of social services to the society.
He said, the Hurras poses a threat to the authority which views them as a military arm of the Movement by virtue of their paramilitary appearance and training. “Because their own system is based on the use of gun and might as landmark, they equate the Hurras to their military unit, and therefore frightens them. Ours is based on firm belief in the religion of Allah through excellent teaching and prophetic guidance, in addition to an unseen proximity to Allah, the Creator, of which Hurras is part and parcel”.
The Leader pointed out that, the authority views the Movement’s strength solely on population and structures, forgetting the spiritual relationship between the people and the Creator that is unseen by the eyes. “Our strength lies with our close proximity to Allah, and our accepted servitude towards Him. Our weapon is the truth, which they can never understand. Our weapon is therefore quite different from theirs”.
He said, over the years security operative have tried to infiltrate or penetrate the Movement at different times without success, because they had complete misconception of what the Movement stands for. “Our weapon and strength are unseen, they all lie in the hands of Allah. What are you then trying to infiltrate? Can you infiltrate an unseen situation?”
“They thought that by eliminating a particular person or persons in the Movement and demolishing structures, they will wipe out the Movement. This is why they tried a long term experiment in last Ramadan, where they killed several people an attempted to demolish Hussainiyyah”, he added.
Sheikh Zakzaky said, the Islamic Movement is a mass movement of people who through spiritual training and guidance uses their faculty of though in every action they do, with no enforcement or strict supervision.
Citing the example of Basij volunteer army, the Revolutionary Guard and the conventional army in Iran, Sheikh Zakzaky stated that the Hurras will remain a volunteer unit with special kind of training and terms of reference.
He further said, the Nigerian military orientation is tele-guided toward blind obedience and imposed rational thought, adding that this had shifted the main mission of the military of protection of territorial integrity of the nation to fighting the citizens they were supposed to protect. “In his statement, the Defence Headquarters spokesman Christopher OluKolade had said, Nigerian military are not murderers. With the prevailing situation of murder and arson on citizens by the military, what else are they?”
He also said, the Nigerian soldier is now made to believe the citizens are his enemies, and specifically Muslims as target of attack without due process to satisfy his foreign masters, Israel and United States. “The future of Israel as a nation is fragile. The master they serve will one day be no more. Once upon there was no Israel, once upon a time there will be no Israel”.
Sheikh Zakzaky commended Hurras for their selfless service to the society and urged them not relent or be discouraged. “Be initiative. Use your faculty of thought to face challenges. Above all strive towards close proximity with Allah in your duty”, he concluded.
Earlier, Malam Zeenatuddeen had spoken on history of the Islamic Movement and its years of struggle, and lessons to learn from the Iranian revolution.
She urged members to see the different arms of the Movement as partners, complimenting each other’s role rather as than rivals.
On Saturday, Malam Kasimu Umar Sokoto also on spoke proper planning and division of labour. The event also featured Sheikh Muhammad Mahmoud Turi as speaker.