Monday 18 July 2011

A Letter To The Boko-Haram Group

I write in the name of Allah, The
most beneficent and the most
merciful.
Dear Boko Haram, I am
constraine d to write you,
Reading through the news papers
page recently regarding the issue
of the bombing rocking our
country Nigeria, It was reported
that your organizati on claimed
responsibi lity. In another report,
it was reported that your sect
stated your reason for embarking
on this bombing mission to be
the killing of your ex leader and
members. It was also reported
that the only condition given by
your Organizati on for negotiatio
n is the Adoption of Shariah Law
in Nigeria.
First, I would like to start from the
name of your sect, Boko Haram.
Meaning education is forbidden.
The stand of your sect that
education is forbidden came to
me as a shock, considerin g the
impact of education in the history
of Islam.
The rise of Muslims to the zenith
of civilizati on in a period of four
decades was based on lslam's
emphasis on learning. This is
obvious when one takes a look at
the Qur'an and the traditions of
Prophet Muhammad which are
filled with references to learning,
education, observatio n, and the
use of reason.
Are those who have knowledge
and those who have no
knowledge alike? Only the men of
understand ing are mindful.
(Quran, 39:9) The Qur'an
encourages people towards
scientific research. And who so
brings the truth and believes
therein such are the dutiful.
(Quran, 39:33)
It was through education that we
got the loud speaker we use in
calling for prayers, Education
produces the bricks we use in
building our mosques, produces
the computer and internet we use
in studying Islamic writing
around world while sitting at
home, produces the wall clock
that makes it easy to know the
time for prayers, produces the
aeroplane we use in making
pilgrim to the holy land. The car
your members used in transporti
ng themselves to the bombing
venue, the mobile phone, the
bombs and guns, even the media
used in publishing your
informatio n all are products of
education.
These clearly show that
everything your sect has been
using as the impact of education
(Boko) in one way or the other.
Don’t you think Boko (Education )
is Halal (Lawful)?.
Saying education is forbidden is
just like saying sex is forbidden,
But sex can be forbidden when
done unlawfully and can equally
be rewarded if done lawfully.
Acquiring knowledge and skill is
essential for every one living in
the modern world. It is useful as
well as pleasant to pursue
knowledge.
Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) said:
Seeking of knowledge is
compulsory for every Muslim, boy
or girl, man or woman.
The pursuit of knowledge and the
use of reason, based on sense
and observatio n is made
obligatory on all believers.
The best form of worship is the
pursuit of knowledge. The Islamic
Empire for more than 1,000 years
remained the most advanced
civilizati on in the world. The main
reasons for this was that Islam
stressed the importance and
respect of learning, forbade
destructio n, and cultivated
respect for authority, discipline ,
and tolerance for other religions.
The teachings of Qur'an and
Sunnah inspired many Muslims to
their accomplish ments in science
and medicine.
By the tenth century their zeal and
enthusiasm s for learning resulted
in all essential Greek medical and
scientific writings being
translated into Arabic in
Damascus, Cairo, and Baghdad.
Arabic became the internatio nal
language of learning and
diplomacy. The center of
scientific knowledge and activity
shifted eastward, and Baghdad
emerged as the capitol of the
scientific world. The Muslims
became scientific innovators
with originalit y and productivi ty
through education. (Boko) For
example Islamic medicine is one
of the most famous and best
known facets of Islamic civilizati
on in which the Muslims excelled.
The Muslims were the great
torchbeare rs of internatio nal
scientific research.
Some of the best and most
eloquent praises of science came
from the pens of Muslim
scientists who considered their
work to be acts of worship. The
same motives led to the
establishm ent of Al-Azhar (800
AD) the first university in the
world. They hit the source ball of
knowledge over the fence to
Europe. In the words of Campbell,
The European medical system is
Arabian not only in origin but also
in its structure. The Arabs are the
intellectu al forbearers of the
Europeans.
Further More, I would like to state
here that your members were
killed not because they were Boko
Haram members, but because
they commit an offence of
murder. i.e killing of innocent
people and such crime both in
Shariah and the Nigerian
constituti on is punishable by
death. If your sect had found
these people guilty of any offence,
it is not in your hand to take law.
But despite that,I am sincerely
sorry for your loss and pray that
Allah forgive them all.
Lastly, About your insistence that
Nigeria use the sheriah law,it is
clearly stated in the Qur’an that
Allah says: “Let there be no
compulsion in religion. Truth has
been made clear from error.
Whoever rejects false worship
and believes in Allah has grasped
the most trustworth y handhold
that never breaks. And Allah hears
and knows all things.” [Sûrah al-
Baqarah : 256] One of the
fundamenta l truths establishe d
by the sacred texts is that no one
can be compelled to accept Islam.
It is the duty of Muslims to
establish the proof of Islam to the
people so that truth can be made
clear from falsehood. After that,
whoever wishes to accept Islam
may do so and whoever wishes to
continue upon unbelief may do
so. No one should be threatened
or harmed in any way if he does
not wish to accept Islam.
jihad in Islamic Law can be waged
for a number of reasons, but
compelling people to accept Islam
is simply not one of them. The
reason why jihad was first
permitted in Islam was so the
Muslims could defend themselves
against persecutio n and
expulsion from their homes. Allah
says: “To those against whom
war is made, permission is given
(to fight), because they are
wronged and verily Allah is Most
Powerful for their aid – (They are)
those who have been expelled
from their homes in defiance of
right (for no cause) except that
they say, Our Lord is Allah. Did
Allah not check one set of people
by means of another, there would
surely have been pulled down
monasterie s, churches,
synagogues , and mosques, in
which the name of Allah is
commemorat ed in abundant
measure. Allah will certainly aid
those who aid his cause, for truly
Allah is full of strength and
might.” [Sûrah al-Hajj: 39-40]
Many of the earliest scholars
mention that these were the first
verses of the Qur’ân that was
revealed regarding jihad.
Thereafter the following verses
were revealed: Fight in the cause
of Allah those who fight you, but
do not transgress limits; for Allah
loves not transgress ors. And slay
them wherever you catch them
and drive them out from where
they drove you out, for
oppression is worse than killing.
But fight them not at the sacred
mosque unless they fight you
there. But if they fight you, slay
them. Such is the reward of those
who suppress faith. But if they
cease, Allah is Oft-Forgiv ing, Most
Merciful. And fight them on until
there is no more tumult or
oppression and there prevail
justice and faith in Allah. But if
they cease, let there be no hostility
except to those who practice
oppression .” [Sûrah al-Baqarah :
190-193] From this point on, the
scope of jihad was broadened
from being purely for defense
against direct attack to being
inclusive of resistance against the
persecutio n meted out by those
who suppress the faith and deny
people the freedom to choose
their religion for themselves . As
for the spread of Islam, this is
supposed to take place peacefully
by disseminat ing the Message
with the written and spoken
word. There is no place for the
use of weapons to compel people
to accept Islam. Weapons can only
be drawn against those who
persecute and oppress others and
prevent them from following their
own conscience s in matters of
belief. The Muslims cannot just
stand by while people are being
denied the right to believe in
Islam and their voices are being
crushed. This is the meaning of
Allah’s words: “And fight them on
until there is no more tumult or
oppression and there prevail
justice and faith in Allah. [Sûrah al-
Baqarah : 193] The Prophet
(peace be upon him) said in his
letter to the Roman governor
Heracles: “I invite you to accept
Islam. If you accept Islam, you will
find safety. If you accept Islam,
Allah will give you a double
reward. However, if you turn
away, upon you will be the sin of
your subjects.” {Sahîh al-Bukhârî
and Sahîh Muslim}. Even when the
Muslims are compelled to fight
and then, as a consequenc e,
subdue the land, their duty
thereafter is only to establish
Allah’s law in the land and uphold
justice for all people, Muslim and
non-Muslim . It is not their right to
coerce their subjects to accept
Islam against their will. Non-
Muslim s under Muslim rule must
be allowed to remain on their
own faith and must be allowed to
practice the rights of their faith,
though they will be expected to
respect the laws of the land. Had
the purpose of jihad been to force
the unbeliever s to accept Islam,
the Prophet (peace be upon him)
would never have commanded
the Muslims to refrain from
hostilitie s if the enemy relented.
He would not have prohibited the
killing of women and children.
However, this is exactly what he
did.
During a battle, the Prophet
(peace be upon him) saw people
gathered together. He dispatched
a man to find out why they were
gathered. The man returned and
said: “They are gathered around a
slain woman.” So Allah’s
Messenger (peace be upon him)
said: She should not have been
attacked!” Khâlid b. al-Walîd was
leading the forces, so he
dispatched a man to him saying:
“Tell Khâlid not to kill women or
laborers”. [Sunan Abî Dâwûd]
Therefore, even in the heat of
battle against a hostile enemy, the
only people who may be attacked
are those who are actually
participat ing in the fighting not
innocent people. On this note, I
strongly condemn your action of
killing innocent Nigerians. As the
Qur’an says: whoever slays a soul,
unless it be for murder or for
mischief in the land, it is as
though he slew entire mankind;
and whoever keeps it alive, it is as
though he kept entire mankind
alive; (Quran 5:32).
Kindly listen to word of Allah and
seize the bombing if truly you are
behind it and engage in a
reasonable dialogue with the
Government . Hope to see the
name of your Sect change to Boko
Halal and engage Nigerians
through Powerful Awareness
Campaign on what you consider
Haram about Boko.