By Dr. Shehu S. Abdussalam
Muslims in this country, and the whole world in general, are witnessing a kind of ‘fitina’ and trial never seen before in history.
The established Islamic state, by Prophet Muhammad, which over time metamorphosed into an empire has passed through various tests and trials. These included the internal trials over the governing policies and politics by the Khulafah, Banu Umayya, Banul Abbas, up to the Ottoman Empire.
The kings were not that sincerely Islamic, unlike the majority of people under their rule. Their interests were rather more focused on the kingdoms’ leadership-chairs. They engaged in vicious acts but secretly in order to maintain the status quo and protect their insecure positions.
The gradual changes from the original Islamic state into an empire were mostly borne out of love for power within the corrupt leadership systems that emerged. This sets the stage that even the Mongol empire captured the Muslim states. Their acts of aggression and transgression against the Muslims was enormous. They destroyed and invaded cities acquired by the Muslims, except Egypt.
The Egyptians put a stop to the expansion of their aggressions. The trials brought about by the Mongol was a great disasters to the Muslims. That was, however, very little compared to the aggressions by the Crusaders. These were followed other disasters up to the complete disintegration and domination of the whole Islamic social and political entity by the Imperialists.
The, once upon a time, single and united entity ended up being divided into about fifty five colonies, all invaded by England, France, Germany, Italy, etc. The concept of Nationalism and or Racism were covertly instilled into the hearts of people to replace the noble Islamic doctrine that united the Muslims from various nations and races. The world was divided into three entities, with the colonised Muslim countries placed in the third-class; further subdivided into north and south, with the Muslims within the South and the poor ones. All these arrangements were, and still are, well in line with the Imperialist’s ‘divide and conquer’ methodology.
Despite all these socially engineered historical as well as contemporary atrocities, there were, recently, fresh and powerful re-awakening of the Muslims. This has become a threat to the enemies of Islam. In reaction to this, new approaches to conquer the Muslims were designed and are currently being put into action. The approach now is that, instead of the ‘divide and conquer’ in addition to the ‘direct invasion’ methods, Muslims would be made to fight one another in the name of Islam.
Fortunately, in this country the new method is not working. As a result the enemies are doing it themselves directly. The number of bomb blasts, blood shedding and killing of innocent people have been rising sharply.
This is happening in markets while people are shopping, at religious gatherings, on the roads, in the jungles, etc. Government links the chaos to the so-called Boko Haram group. It is now crystal clear that Boko Haram is just an imaginary tool used for intelligence maneuvering, disinformation and false flag operations against Islam.
Allah, the Almighty exposed them on al-Quds’ Day, Friday 25th July 2014 in Zaria. The event showed who the real Boko Haram group is. Army officers in their uniforms, with some others in civilian clothes, all armed, came and opened fire unprovoked on the people that took part or wanted to take part in the procession for supporting Palestine. Consequently, it can be well understood who were behind the killings and bombings in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, in Birnin Gwari jungle and other places. Those soldiers and their commandants are the real Boko Haram behind these internal atrocities.
That day, they specially targeted my children. They killed Mahmoud by shooting at his abdomen from behind. They arrested Ahmad, Hamid and Ali and moved them to an army base in a nearby Basawa suburb of Zaria. We made contacts for them to be released but the commandant of the Barrack said he would not release them directly to the police, but will rather move them to a University teaching hospital in nearby Shika suburb.
The three were all alive, but just before the arrangement to move them to Shika hospital, the commandant shot Ahmad four times and threw him into the vehicle. They also broke his hands and legs. Earlier, at the point of arrest, the youngest of them, Ali, was shot on the leg. On their way to Shika hospital, the soldiers attempted to beat Ali but his elder brother, Hamid diverted their attention to himself. They tortured Hamid to death in the vehicle before arriving at the hospital. The name of the commandant in Basawa who killed Ahmad is Lieutenant-Colonel S. O. Okwu.
People should carefully consider this situation and avoid the trap in which many Muslims are now caught in, the division of the Muslims into sects and religious ‘isms’ set against one another. I have received many telephone calls, messages and visits for condolences regarding the martyrdom of my sons. None of the sympathizers expressed or hinted at some element of sectarianism, while identifying themselves. Some of them are current government officials holding various posts, while others are retired or officials of past regimes. [Even the leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria in a telephone call said to me, "We are with you".]
Muslims should realize who their real enemy is, and the importance Islam attaches to the observance of brotherly relations. The enemy usually executes atrocities in disguise. In this country they did not succeed in creating a group within Muslims that would be executing their planned atrocities. So they are executing it themselves directly. That is the horrible situation we are witnessing at the moment. There can never be a better solution to this problem other than we as Muslims should completely return to Allah, the Almighty, and bridge any imaginary gap within the Muslim Ummah. For sure Muslims are brothers of one another, irrespective of their different points of view concerning certain religious issues.
We hope that Allah, the Almighty, helps the Muslim Ummah out of this predicament. The population of Muslims in Nigeria is enormous. About 66% of the 150 to 200 million people in the country are Muslims. This means there are at least about 100 million Muslims in the country! According to a Hadith, it is forbidden for a population of twelve thousand Muslims to be ruled by a non-Muslim. Compare this with the current situation of Muslims in this country.
We still have some of the dead bodies in custody of the soldiers. At least thirty three have been killed. We buried seventeen of them yesterday, we will, Insha Allah, today around 5 p.m. bury others. However, regarding the burial of my three children which they have killed, I have decided not to bury them on Eid-day. So their burial will be carried out tomorrow.
WasallalLaahu alaa Muhammadin wa aalihittaiyyibinattahirin,
WalhamdulilLaahi rabbil alameen.