Leader of African Shia Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Zakzaky, spoke at the Annual Maulid gathering organised by the Resource Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria at Gamji multipurpose Hall, Kaduna on Satruday the 26th of February 2011.
After normal salutation Sheikh Zakzaky described the period of Maulid celebration as Time for Reflection. He said as one looks into a mirror to see his/her image , this also applied to the period of Maulid celebration where Muslims compare their lives with that of Prophet to see level of conformity with his Sunnah. The Prophet left behind a sample for the Ummah to emulate. He was extolled in the holy Quran ‘you are indeed on the high level of moral character’.
So the Prophet is a sample personality for every one. He is worthy of emulation as individual, as husband, father, neighbor, business, as a Judge and as commandant who showed how to protect and rights of captives and the dead during war. There is no single part of human endeavor which the Prophet did not give sample to the humanity. He did not only bring a book of guidance, he practiced it.
In the process of building the Ummah on the right track, the Prophet suffered so much from enemies and even waged wars against him. Towards the end of his life, the holy Prophet declared that he didn’t leave out anything that wil draw people near to God or distant them from the Hell without showing it. So celebrating his birthday means to reflect, individually and collectively, to see the level of proximity to the Sunnah of the Prophet.
Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world
Generally, as figures indicate the Ummah is about 1.5 billion globally and the number increases by the day. Research shows that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world due to rate of birth as every woman gives birth to four children on average and of course due to rate of conversion. The rate of conversion increases since the time America and the West see Islam as threat and therefore created the event of September 11.
So, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. In spite of that, the Ummah has never faced humiliation and degradation as noticed 100 years or 50 ago years precisely, after it was colonized by the Europeans and divided the Islamic Ummah into almost 50 independent nations each with its peculiar flag. Even Arabs were divided by the Colonialists who tried to extinguish Arabic language. Alas, the language was dignified and popularized due the coming of Islam as God chose it to speak to humanity.
We should remember what God says about the Ummah ’you are indeed the best of nations, as you encourage good and forbid evils’ but the Ummah was made to believe in nationalist which is against the core Islamic values. Nationalism is in contrast with Islamic ideology taught by the holy Prophet when he met the Pre-Islamic Arabs in it and changed them. He set them on the foundation of sound intellect and faith as against tribalism or any other thing.
Unfortunately, the system of nationalism and its ideology which benefits only its masters and which rejects Islamic values has been imposed on the Ummah. Its resources squandered. West's scrambling of the resources and wealth led to world war I and II. The resources which are vastly located in Muslim regions. The Muslims once controlled and led the world, and a people, who at one time controlled the World, can never be slaves even though they were colonized.
After the colonials left the Muslim countries they made sure they left behind as leaders those individuals who are intellectually and ideologically corrupt. They used intellectual war whose effect is far greater than weapons.
So, the Colonial masters thought Islam shall never to come back again to lead the ummah because they imposed their people. Ever since their mission is to have Muslims by names who does not practice its teachings. For example , the colonials made sure that Secularism is the system in Turkey due to the country’s strategic location with Europe.
Colonials Enslave others and Islam teaches justice, fairness...
When New World, the present America was discovered, the people who first went there found that the area was rich in gold as used by the residents for their cultural festivities. They fought them , enslave some and took away their resources. What do you think if it were Muslims who first discover America ? The Muslims will assimilate with them, marry their daughters and display jsutice and fairness. The teaching in Islam is about Justice and fairness not to enslave people.
There is big difference between Muslims and Colonialists. When Muslims arrived in a land they want the people to be the same with them while the colonialists want to enslave. For example when Colonialist came to Nigeria they kept themselves in an area called ERA( European reserved Area) exclusive for them only which is now called GRA (Govt reserveed area). The even cut out another area they named African reserved Area, now knows an Sabon Gari. On the other hand, Islam is based on justice, fairness and equity among people.
Nigeria will only Serve Colonial masters
Even if Nigeria continues to exists as a country it will only serve the interest of the Colonial masters through the people they installed. So, a one time Master, even if enslaved or colonised can never remain as slave and he will think on how to regain his freedom.
We shall not forget that when the Colonialists came they did not recognise our educational system and they even limited our people from attaining higher in the education they brought; they limited our people to elementary level which latter they established Middle School, while the Southern counterpart can reach any level in educational pursuits. One of the colonial master was reported to have said ‘ educating North is tantamount to destroying Nigeria.
The new Development
The New Development with the enemies of Islam who fear Islamic resurgence is to divide Muslims into traditionalists, moderate and extremists. Taliban and Osama were their own creation in the category of extremists. The enemies of Islam once opined that Muslims can not be controlled because of 3 things; they have Qur’an, they converge on Fridays and they have respect for the Ka’abah. They therefore planed to ensure Muslims even if they read Quran don’t practice it, they will ensure proliferation of Mosques to create disunity and to prevent pilgrims from visiting the House of God by calling the act as Shirk. All this was their handwork. The enemies only want to define Islam in a way that will benefit them. Here in this part of the world we have poverty in addition at high level to the extent that it destroys the moral character of our youths. Stealing and drugs are part of ‘ software program’ by the enemies to destroy us. When good moral was destroyed in our youths, where is the future?
Lessons from the Middle East
The current happening in the Middle East is a direct result of humiliation and aggression suffered by the people in the region for long. For example the aggression on the Palestinians by the Israel with support of some Arab Governments has been a source of pain to the people in the region. Palestinians had to dig tunnels to take medicines and food to their people as the gates were blocked by Mubarak. While at the same time gas from Egypt is more cheaper in Israel than in Egypt.
Egypt was center of civilization and Knowledge when Europe was in Dark Age. So, colonizing Muslim countries does not mean the situation will continue. We have religion in which its adherents prefer other than themselves, religion which treats people with equity and Justice. It will surely come back.
What is happening in the Middle East is a reflection of over 100 years of suffering in the Arab world; and that of Nigeria is surely coming; even if no body does it Muslims will do it.
In order to avoid problems, here in Nigeria we must have something on ground and we must be prepared to have something that will replace the current system when the change comes. We shall not allow ourselves to be caught unprepared without planning for something as replacement.
Now the problem with revolution in Middle East is that they don’t have real System to go back as it caught them unprepared. We must avoid that. No daught, Egypt cannot be like it was during Mubarak. In Libya now America is deciding on Military option to take away resources.
Nigerian Context
In Nigeria, problem has been created revolving around the issue of Leadership. They even created six zones including south-south which is entirely nonsense and rubbish as nothing like South-South. I South-South exists, then we shall have North-North, East-East, central-Central etc. this concept has no meaning.
They also imposed another problem of Muslim-Christian Candidature. Even the present Ticket for Presidential candidate is based on Muslim-Christian candidates. We must be caefull not to fall into Muslim-Christian fight. Muslim/Christian candidature or vice versa does not represent Islam or Christianity. The whole structure is not religious. They enemies want to cause fight among Muslims and Christians so that they take away our resources, so must be careful.
The issue we have taking about is that of the System and not who leads. Some people including those who ought to understand, don’t even know that the Islamic Movement is about change of System not leaders.
In Egypt Muslims and Christians gathered against Mubarak, while in Nigeria they want create Muslims and Christians differences to cause chaos. They level of awareness among Egyptians in better as they didn’t kill Mubarak’s agents who killed protesters after they arrested them. In Nigeria it will be a different thing.
In conclusion, the Muslim Ummah must assess itself to see the level of its deviation caused by the enemies. Most people don’t know what the system is all about. They find it difficult to understand the System, they look at who lead. We are talking about what Lead not who lead. The Unislamic system is what we want to change. Even in Tunisia and other countries they now want change of System. Their level of awareness is better than our own because our people don’t even know the system. They are after who leads.
By the time we have a right Islamic System, only right persons will come to lead.
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