LETTER TO MY FELLOW NIGERIAN MUSLIMS:  WE HAVE NO EXCUSE

Introduction

I begin in the Name of Allah, The Creator, The Most Gracious and The Most Merciful. I have been following the dialogues and discussions going on amongst concerned Nigerians since the beginning of the “Boko Haram” incident and I have decided to add my little contribution to these discussions. In my humble opinion, I think we need to be sincere in the advice and reminders that we give each other if we expect to derive any benefit from these dialogues.

Allah (SWT) states in the Qur’an that “You (Muslims) are the best nation which has ever been raised for the guidance of mankind. You enjoin good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah…” (S3:V110). This verse showed how Allah (our Creator) has highly favored the Muslims and has endowed them with special tools and means to navigate this complex world. However, this favor is a big test for the Muslims because it (this favor) comes with great responsibilities. This writer opines that most of us who call ourselves Muslims are shirking these responsibilities either because we are naive or arrogant. The “Boko Haram” incident in Northern Nigeria does not have to be a religious conflict of immense destruction if those Muslims who are involved are fully aware of their responsibilities and are dutiful to their Lord. They should have shown some restraints in their actions and reactions in spite of serious provocations.

Allah (SWT) created us, man in the best of shape or mould as indicated in the Qur’an (S95:V4).He gave us the basic five senses of sight, hearing, smell, speech and feeling to be able to perceive our surroundings and environment. Also, we were given instinctive or impulsive capacities to react to our environment and ward off challenges especially in times of severe dangers. Additionally, we were endowed with the brain (mind) to be able to think, rationalize and measure our actions and/or reactions appropriately. Allah (SWT) endowed the lower animals with all these tools too, but He chose us (mankind) to be the overseer of the rest of His creations in this world because of this favor called the intellect. Furthermore, Allah (SWT) provided us, the Muslims (true believers) with particular tools and aids such as the Qur’an (true guidance) and Prophet Muhammad (saw) an example to answer questions our limited mind is unable to perceive. As a result, the Muslim is held to a higher standard of behavior than the rest of mankind. The Muslim man or woman cannot act or react like the non-Muslim because he or she is differently equipped to respond to situations. The incident in “Boko Haram” is very sad, unfortunate and should be condemned by every Muslim who is worthy. There are better ways to deal with such problems as prescribed to us by Allah (SWT) and as shown to us by Prophet Muhammad (saw) and we need to know these things. The beauty and sweetness of Islam cannot be appreciated if we (Muslims) do not discipline ourselves and learn to follow and obey the guidance given to us by Almighty Allah (The All-Knowing and The All-Wise). All the Muslim scholars and students in Nigeria have a great task and responsibility to their communities and the people are looking up to them as their last hope. We have faulted and have failed the people but we can still pray to Allah (SWT) to forgive us for our mistakes and guide us back to the right path.        

In conclusion, there are enough resources available to mankind and especially to Muslims that can help remove our ignorance and help us build the correct humility in all our affairs and endeavors. Nigerian Muslims at home and abroad have no excuse for not educating and improving their knowledge about their Deen (Islam) and practicing the religion in its right perspective. We (Muslims) have been asleep for too long and it is time to wake up to reality and be responsible. We have the solutions to the problems within our reach, we have to seek and apply them correctly. This is a humble “Nasiha” (sincere advice) to me and my fellow Muslim brothers and sisters. Non-Muslims reading this piece can also find it illuminating and thought provoking. Finally, any good that comes from this article is from Allah (SWT) and any mistakes or faults from it are from Shaytan and my own limitations.

Jazakumullahu-Khary (May Allah’s blessing be on all of you), Ameen.

Taheeb (Tayyib) Coker

Letter 2

WHAT DO WE DO NEXT?

Once again, I begin in the Name of Allah (SWT), The Creator, The Most Gracious and The Most Merciful. I pray that Allah (SWT) continues to guide us to the truth and He makes our hearts accept the truth, Ameen.

In my first letter to my fellow Nigerian Muslims, I used the “Boko Haram” incident in Northern Nigeria to highlight some concerns and problems with Nigerian Muslims at home and abroad the way I see them. Some of those problems are that we Muslims are not using all the tools and means Allah (SWT) gave us to full potential. Also we have taken this favor for granted and are shirking the responsibilities that come
with it.

I have keenly observed Nigerian Muslims at home and abroad set up religious centers and places of worship that places more priority on socialization rather than the teaching of pure and proper Islamic knowledge. Most of our scholars and leaders who have the knowledge are not proactive and only react to events as they unfold. Also, the youths are not fully engaged, and when they are engaged there are few exciting activities or programs held to sustain their interest. The basis of all our problems is our collective lack of proper Islamic creed (Aqeedah). Proper Aqeedah leads to proper belief system and it is the foundation upon which everything in Islam is built. In practical terms, one cannot be a true Muslim without the proper creed. Proper Aqeedah helps the Muslim to place everything in its proper perspective without confusion, misunderstanding or ambiguity. We cannot hope to solve a problem until we are aware of the problem. Therefore, the first step in this process is to accept that there is indeed a problem. Then we have to put heads together and seek out solutions to these problems in accordance with the guidance of Allah (SWT) and the examples set by Prophet Muhammad (saw). It is therefore my intention in this second letter to my fellow Nigerian Muslims to give suggestions on how this problem (lack of proper Islamic creed) can be addressed with practical solutions.

Eeman (faith) in Islam demands that we believe in Allah, the Angels, the revealed Books, the Prophets (from Adam to Muhammad –SAW), Destiny (fate), and lastly, the Day of Judgment. A strong Eeman built on proper Aqeedah will guide us to the proper use of Allah’s (SWT) Names and Attributes and will direct us to put all our trust in Allah (SWT), the All- Knowing and the All- Wise. The Essence of Allah (SWT) and the Magnificence of Allah’s existence as the Creator of all that exists are well understood with proper Aqeedah. This understanding explains to us that Allah is above His creations and cannot be part of them.

This is clearly documented in the true guidance (The Qur’an) and explained by the last messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad-saw). According to the Qur’an, Allah’s attributes clearly tell us that Allah (SWT) is immutable, infallible, unlimited and perfect in His Essence whereas mankind is with limitations, fallibilities and imperfections. Logically, it is absurd to suggest that Allah will then be part of His creations. All these points will help the seeker of truth to conclude that only Allah is worthy of worship. Worshipping Allah (SWT) imposes several obligations on the Muslim. We have to obey and respect all the commands and prohibitions of Allah and accept all that befalls us.

Other articles of faith include our belief in the Angels. Allah sent Jibril (AS) to carry messages to human beings as stated in most scriptures and fully explained in the last unadulterated scripture (The Qur’an). The proper Aqeedah will also clear the fog on the necessity for the revealed books which primarily guide mankind to the truth and fill in the gap for our limitations as well as answer pertinent questions. Also, this understanding will throw more light on the need for Prophets who serve as examples to us in implementing the messages in the revealed books. Prophets also carry glad tidings of Allah’s reward to the true believers and warnings of Allah’s punishment to those who are heedless.

Another important aspect of faith is the acceptance of divine destiny (Qadar). Good and bad things happen to us that have been destined by Allah. And only Allah’s (SWT) help (and no one else’s) should be sought if we expect a change in our destiny or fate. Finally, the proper Aqeedah teaches us that we are in this life for no other reason but to worship Allah. Every soul will eventually die and be buried and will be raised up again. He/she will have to give account of his/her earthly journey (conscious life), and he/she will have to explain how he/she used the favors that Allah bestowed upon him/her on the Day of judgment. At the end, only those with proper creed will understand or grasp the idea that true success is being rewarded with everlasting abode in Paradise while true failure is being punished with everlasting abode in Hellfire.

In conclusion, If these articles of faith are well understood and put into proper use, then the average Nigerian Muslim can develop an unshaken creed (Aqeedah) on which he can build the pillars of his religion. Nigerian Muslims scholars and students of knowledge need to take the matter of teaching proper Islamic creed (Aqeedah) as an important obligation and should endeavor to relate these lessons to real life situations.

Jazakumullahu-Khayr.

 Letter 3

“LET’S ACT DEVOUTLY, WITH CONVICTION AND…

In the Name of Allah (SWT), The Creator, The Most Gracious and The Most Merciful. Once again, I pray to Him (SWT) to continue to shower His mercies on all of us and protect us from the evils inside and outside of us, Ameen. I am by no means a scholar or student of Islamic knowledge and therefore not qualified to act as one. My mission is to share my experiences and thoughts that I found beneficial to me as a Muslim living in the West in 2009. Allah (SWT) states in the Qur’an “This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favors upon you and approved Al-Islam as the Deen for you” (S5:V3). I thank Allah (SWT) for the gift of Islam and I pray to Him to grant me and every Muslim the proper understanding to practice the Deen correctly and earn His ultimate reward of Jannah, Ameen.

My objective in this piece is to challenge myself and every other Muslim and especially every Nigerian Muslim to start acting as true Muslims. This is why I titled letter #3 “Let’s act devoutly, with conviction and put all our trusts in Allah (SWT), and then be patient.” In the first letter, I stated that Allah (SWT) gave us certain tools and means to assist us in navigating this complex world but we have not been using them as prescribed by Him (SWT) and as exemplified by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and those companions sanctioned by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) i.e. the eyewitnesses. These tools are meant to be used in progressive order of importance and significance. The five senses of sight, smell, taste, hearing and feeling are the basic tools, next in line to these are the instincts (reflexes), then the mind (brain) and lastly, the guidance from Allah (SWT) and as implemented by His last prophet (Muhammad-SAW). We cannot expect to get a decent result when we administer a wrong tool on a job just as it will be a wishful thought to expect a decent outcome when we apply the wrong means or methodology in our daily conduct.           

I have watched us Muslims (myself included) act from one extreme to the other  and expecting better outcomes from our extreme actions. For example on one extreme, we sometimes act with emotions rather than with our minds (i.e. we jump from the level of instincts (reflexes)  to the level of the guidance bypassing the level of the mind) especially when dealing with non-Muslims. We act as if non-Muslims are not Allah’s creations and we owe them nothing. We forget that non-Muslims have rights upon us Muslims too in the scheme of things, if we follow the correct understanding of the guidance. We need to be rational in all our dealings and should take cues from prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his companions who are supposed to be our role models. At the other extreme, we find us (Muslims) act as if the guidance was only meant for prophet Muhammad (SAW), his companions and the Arabs who lived in the seventh century. Muslims in this group are quick at dismissing the Sunnah of the prophet (SAW) with a wave of the hand.

You sometimes hear Muslim “leaders” sneered at an authentic Sunnah of the prophet (SAW) as “just Sunnah” which need not be followed at this modern time. Three common Sunnahs come to mind, the first is that of men growing their beard but can either shave or trim their moustache, the second is the Sunnah of men arrogantly allowing the trailing of their garment below the ankle , and the third Sunnah is that of women wearing the Hijab or Niqab when they are outside their homes. There are other Muslims with similar type of ideas; they claimed to follow only Qur’anic injunctions and nothing else. However, these Muslims pray Sallah and perform other Islamic rituals just like the rest of the Muslims. The Qur’an in most cases gave the injunctions without the details and such details are found only in the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the Sunnah of the companions sanctioned by Prophet Muhammad (SAW). No other Sunnah is valid in the religious practices within Islam. These Sunnahs have to be authentically transmitted by those companions who were eyewitnesses or those who met directly with the eyewitnesses. This second group of Muslims tends to try to rationalize the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and “cherry pick” to suit their desires. They are quick to say that “we are in the twenty first century and we should change certain practices which are “outdated” according to their standards. This understanding suggests that Allah (SWT), The All-Knowing does not know that man will be around in the year 2009 when He revealed the Qur’an as the last guidance for mankind till the Day of Judgment. Another important point is the fact that Muslims who act as such forget that if they refuse to follow the authentic Sunnah of the prophet (SAW) without valid excuse, they are still bound to follow another Sunnah which in most cases are the Sunnahs of non-Muslim icons or the likes. Only Sunnatul-Allah (SWT) and then the Sunnah of prophet Muhammad (SAW) should be upheld in the Deen by true Muslims. Sometimes we believe that we can rationalize every aspect of the guidance (the Qur’an and the Sunnah of prophet Muhammad (SAW) ), but we are not equipped with the tools or means to be able to do so. The guidance revealed many events and situations that occurred in the past when no man was around and in far remote places where no man can ever reach. Also, events and things that will occur in the future are found in the guidance. No one can use his/her mind alone to come to any logical conclusion on these matters no matter how hard he/she tried. Only Allah (SWT), The All-Knowing and The All-Wise can tell man about these things. That is why common sense dictates that when you are confronted with a topic that is beyond your capacity found in the guidance, the logical thing to do is to firstly verify the source of the message and then verify the authenticity of its transmission. Upon concluding that this topic is from Allah and passed on to us from prophet Muhammad (SAW), (Allah’s last prophet), a true Muslim will submit wholeheartedly without rationalizing how it fits into our modern way of doing things.

I recognize the fact that we all have different levels of Eeman and conviction and cannot act alike, but when the truth is made clear to us by those who know, we should pray to Allah (SWT) to give us the “Taofeek” to be able to implement the truth rather than try to justify our heedlessness. Let us start to act devoutly as true Muslims and practice our Deen with conviction but with great humility. Also, we should put all our trusts in Allah (SWT) who will keep His promise to us if we are patient and perseverant.

In conclusion, we (Muslims) need to be good ambassadors of Islam and we should showcase the beauty of Islam through our actions and commitments. All these tools and means at our disposals were not given to us by Allah (SWT) for pastime and fun only, but for more serious mission. Let us use them to our benefits and earn Allah’s best prize, Al-Jannah, Fir’daus. I hope to continue on this topic in letter #4 insha Allah. May Allah (SWT) accept all our actions as righteous deeds that will benefit us on the Day of Judgment, Ameen.

Jazakumullahu-Khayr.
Taheeb (Tayyib) Coker.