Boko Haram and Islam
Disu Kamor
Since the criminal attacks of the dreaded cultist group (Boko Haram) on the nation started, certain salesmen of hate have been hawking their credo: Islam is violent; religion in general produces extremists; religion is dangerous, and so on, to the public. One of such persons is Leo Igwe, an ardent Islamophobe whose schizophrenic ranting was published in the Guardian newspaper of 29 January, 2012 under the title "Boko Haram and the Threat of Political Islam". Leo Igwe stated in his letter to the editor that "Nigerians must begin to acknowledge the jihadist agenda of Boko Haram and try to find out how the teachings of Islam particularly as contained in the Koran or the Hadith were propagated or twisted to breed this terrible monster." He further states that "Boko Haram is the Nigerian version of al Qaeda. The militants are not bombing police stations, UN building and churches for the sake of it. They are not agitating for sharia law for the fun of it. The Boko Haram militants are fighting a holy war. They are prosecuting a jihad for which they expect to be rewarded abundantly in the hereafter with some virgins. That is why the group has not run out of suicide bombers. That is why they have their operational base in the muslim majority states."
This is obviously a clever ploy to inject the poisonous myth of a blood-thirsty Islam that inspires its adherent to commit indiscriminate acts of violence into the hearts and minds of the reading public. Yet the author failed miserably to provide a single reference from the Quran or the Hadiths to support his absurd position. For clarity sake, God forbids the killing of ANY innocent person in the Qur’an, and to violently damage any building is wrong. That respected places of worship, faith and spirituality were attacked by Boko Haram during a time of religious festivity makes the crime even more heinous. Also Islam commands Muslims to revere Jesus Christ and his mother (AS). We believe in his miraculous birth, his miracles and the stories of and about Jesus Christ (AS) in the Islamic tradition are probably much larger than the entire New Testament. Also, an entire Quranic chapter is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ (AS), as God proclaims her to be the best woman amongst all humanity, whom He chose above all other women due to her piety and devotion (Qur’an 3:42-43), and an example to follow (Qur’an 66:12). For the Muslims therefore, Judaism, Christianity and Islam are but three forms of one religion, which, in its original purity, was the religion of Abraham (AS).
It is simply easy to see that the author wrote in a bad taste not to expose our common threat, but to mischaracterize Islam in a way that de-humanizes Muslims. I readily accept that there are bad eggs within the Islamic community. In fact, it is possible to find them in almost all walks of life. Sadly, people who commit evil in the name of Islam, or as Muslims, engage in unethical and immoral actions, may be our neighbours or co-workers; but so are evil, unethical and immoral people present in every religion, nationality, race or ideology. Such people are on every street and all professions. It is therefore a human, rather than a religious thing. Anyone who disputes this has simply failed to take important lessons from history. Lenin, Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot, who collectively killed well over fifty million people, and the movements they led were all atheists like Leo Igwe himself. Similarly, the intellectual foundations of fascist thought have very little to do with traditional religion, while owing much to secular or outright atheist philosophers. Mr Igwe’s Panglossian summary of the Boko Haram saga and what he calls political Islam is therefore antithetical to the self-evident facts: that vast majority of Muslims live peacefully with their neighbours; they respect the law and make important contributions to our daily life and national security.
The sickening claim of the lure of an abundant reward of some virgins in the hereafter as the motivating factor, or one of the factors, of terrorist attacks runs in direct opposition to what the author himself states in the opening statement of his second paragraph where he writes “The Spokesperson of Boko Haram, Abdul Qaqa, told journalists that they carried out the attacks on the city because the authorities had refused to release their members arrested and detained by the police.” If the group’s spokesperson made such an unequivocal declaration of their motive, and unless the author knows more about the group than he admits, he should simply allow the group to speak for itself. When we look at the highest authority in Islam, the Quran, we find nothing in it endorsing rewards for indiscriminate killing or killing of innocent people. Instead we find the strongest condemnation with severe punishments for those who engage in such actions. When we look at Hadith, which after the Quran is second in authority in Islam, we find nothing endorsing terrorism either. Instead we find strong condemnation for it.
About the “72 virgins”, searching what Muslims refer to as Gharib Hadith (weak or strange Hadiths) we do find something about 72 wives but not virgins. Sunan al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2562 says: The Prophet Muhammad was heard saying: "The smallest reward for the people of Paradise is an abode where there are 80,000 servants and 72 wives, over which stands a dome decorated with pearls, aquamarine, and ruby, as wide as the distance from Al-Jabiyyah [a Damascus suburb] to Sana'a [Yemen]"
According to the opinion of Muslim experts on the science of Hadith, this is a weak Hadith that has no line or sequence of narration. Although listed in an authoritative collection, this particular Hadith has technical weaknesses in its chain of transmitters and is therefore not considered impeccable. There are many Hadiths so declared and by the collective opinion of our jurists, such Hadiths must not be used to formulate binding legal judgments. As a result, Muslims are not required to believe in it. Even if the Hadith was true, there is nothing about it that says if someone commits acts of violence or terrorism “they expect to be rewarded abundantly in the hereafter with some virgins” when clearly the Qur’an and hadiths condemn such sinful actions.
Muslims know that the description of paradise or heaven in Hadiths and Quran is allegorical. If not, then Allah would have allowed us to take our bodies with us when we die. But the vehicle by which we could enjoy the physical things (especially 72 virgins ) mentioned as being in heaven, is left behind here in this world to rot and decay away. So we know for a fact that for heavenly rewards, physical things of this world are used to describe things totally non-physical. The Quran and authentic Hadiths let us know that anyone that makes it to paradise will be given palaces to live in, and clothing fit for royalty, with luxurious couches, thrones for everyone amongst other grandiose things. There will be rivers of the purest water, milk, wine, and honey, all of which are better than any you will find on earth. However, those who get to the highest part of Paradise, Jannah al-Firdaus, will also be able to see Allah with their own eyes. This greatest reward, rather than the promise of a sensual pleasure in the hereafter- to be in the presence of our Lord and to see His Face is the prayer of all Muslims.
Islam is more than 1400 years old and historians, Muslims and others have recorded the great achievements of Muslims over the centuries and the hope that Islam eternally represents for humanity due to the sublime virtues the religion calls to. The murder of an innocent human being anywhere is condemnable and inexcusable, regardless of that individual’s race, religion, national origin, gender or social class. This is not a lesson that must be reiterated only by the Imams but also by the Church, the secularists, the atheists, everyone. The start point for this is to accept that the evil activities of the Boko Haram group affect all Nigerians equally and particularly as Muslims, we feel ashamed of their actions. Muslims are horrified at the image of a group from amongst them, organized as the wolf-pack, inflamed by the spirit of anarchy and destruction, killing, maiming the innocent and forcing ordinary Nigerians to live in fear of dear life. This is because Islam being a highly ethical religion rejects such anarchy and mischief. Islam commands Muslims to have a deep respect for all human life and to ensure peaceful-co-existence. This is why Islam was able to co-exist peacefully with Christianity in the Middle East since the time of prophet Muhammad (AS), a fact that becomes evident when one considers the fact that the Middle Eastern Christian community is a historical community, rather than a community of converts. The presence of this community since the time of Jesus Christ (AS) and its thriving under many Islamic rulers bear eloquent testimony to how important Islam considers freedom of worship and peaceful co-existence.
In Nigeria, Muslim and Christians have lived for decades in relative peace and will continue to do so after the current tragedy is ended. Of course there had been tensed times and mutual violence directed against both communities, but the judgmental flaw of the author and people like him who cherry-picks events to promote Islamophobic agenda will only make them a laughing stock before those who have studied divine scriptures and history. This is because adhering to the elementary requirement of objective evaluation of historical facts is what separates honest critics from ordinary rag-heads. Mr Igwe’s letter and other caricatures like it only shows that serious discourse on critical national issues must not be left in the hands of mere shenanigans.
Finally it is most important to acknowledge that many Christian and Muslim leaders have spoken and acted courageously during this moment of intense pressure and crisis. Their words and actions are renewed sources of inspiration and encouragement to those of us who believe in harmony, peaceful co-existence and shared destiny. It is worth reiterating that the entire Nigerian Muslim community stands full square with the Nigerian Christians in revulsion and horror at attacks directed against them and their places of worship. We sincerely feel your pains and share the sorrow of the victims of those attacks. We will continue to stand with you to repel the evil of sectarianism and extremism which are blights on divine religions. This is a difficult time for all Nigerians and only divine religions are capable of sustaining our collective strength as we confront and defeat the ills we face together.
The evil actions of the Boko Haram group affect all Nigerians and their false claim to piety and self-righteousness are ordinary veneer for their evil ambitions and actions. Anyone aspiring to establish a “Shariah state” must start by establishing a “Shariah state of mind”. Muslims have been victims of their terrorist attacks as anyone else; as terrorist attacks are indiscriminate. In the same edition of the Guardian newspaper, the spokesman of Boko Haram is reported to have threatened His Eminence, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, and the Governor of Sokoto State. All those mentioned in this latest threat are Muslims, and so are majority of those killed in the Kano attacks. Muslims suffer directly from the terrorist group when they attack as well as reprisal attacks due to their evil actions. Yet, in all of these we have risen up in one single voice of total condemnation because our God, as taught to us in the Qur’an and through the examples of prophet Muhammad (AS) commands us to respect the sanctity of ALL human lives (Qur’an 4:29, 6:151, 17:33) and that He, God Almighty, is the “King of mankind, God of mankind” (Qur’an 114: 2-3). The Boko Haram group does not speak or act for Islam or the Muslims. We reject their rhetoric, we oppose their violent methodology, we pray that the wind of time blows them away as quickly as other extremist groups before them, and we remain very proud of the religion which God has blessed us with.
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Disu Kamor
Director of Media and Communications
Muslim Public Affairs Centre, MPAC
Nigeria.
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Comments Page: 1 2  posted on 01-30-2012, 05:15:51 AM Lol Re: Boko Haram And IslamLike it or not, Islamic groups like Boko Haram and al-Queda use texts, teachings and quotes from the Koran (the same apparatus that Mohammed used) to perpetrate hate and slaughter of non muslims, we must not shy away from that fact as it stares us in the face, for doing so will not make us understand the issues.
You Muslims want to keep the Koran as it was in the 7th century but you do not want to be held responsible when your members do exactly that which Mohammed asked of them when he scripted the book. Islam is a religion nurtured and bred out of violence and until people like you come to terms with that and make strides to reform it you will continue to be known the world over as a religion of violence.  posted on 01-30-2012, 06:43:48 AM DatuouwadaberechiRe: Boko Haram And IslamThis is not a lesson that must be reiterated only by the Imams but also by the Church, the secularists, the atheists, everyone. The start point for this is to accept that the evil activities of the Boko Haram group affect all Nigerians equally and particularly as Muslims, we feel ashamed of their actions. Muslims are horrified at the image of a group from amongst them, organized as the wolf-pack, inflamed by the spirit of anarchy and destruction, killing, maiming the innocent and forcing ordinary Nigerians to live in fear of dear life. i agree that everyone should be involved with this message, but there MUST be special emphasis among adherents of islam because of the special problem that (granted) a small (but distinct) percentage of them appear to have with actually believing or applying this concept to their lives. \"This is why Islam was able to co-exist peacefully with Christianity in the Middle East since the time of prophet Muhammad (AS), a fact that becomes evident when one considers the fact that the Middle Eastern Christian community is a historical community, rather than a community of converts. The presence of this community since the time of Jesus Christ (AS) and its thriving under many Islamic rulers bear eloquent testimony to how important Islam considers freedom of worship and peaceful co-existence.\" well my brother, i doubt the above is completely true...look at iran, iraq, egypt and even sudan nearer home. abeg, take am easy. one very important step in the process of addressing a problem, is ADMITTING the problem. finally, no be say all of us believe say na all of una wey dey do the thing, but u guys shd learn how to be vigilant of the signs among u when they are trying to rise, and CRUSH them with total and unequivocal vehemance.... no pussyfooting and diplomacy. also consider starting classes within the mosque or gatherings, to teach the TRUTH as you understand it, ok?? posted on 01-31-2012, 08:48:17 AM KemetRe: Boko Haram And IslamBros Goebels, Are you actually in denial or are you just a bad Muslim who does not understand the terror manual that Moh handed over to you? posted on 01-31-2012, 08:51:31 AM BamagujeRe: Boko Haram And IslamDisu Kamor and his fellow Muslim propagandists must be feeling very frustrated, because let’s face it, no non-Muslim in his right mind actually believes Islam is peaceful. Some of us may pretend it is because it is politically correct to do so, or to appease ‘moderate’ Muslims and win them over to our side in the war against Jihadist terror, but Disu can take it to the bank that none of us infidels is fooled by his Islam-is-peace Taqiyya.
The days are long gone when we could be hoodwinked with such deceptive propaganda. Not with the daily reports of Islamist terror around the world. A day does not pass without disturbing news reports of Islam induced violence somewhere around the world - Iraq, Somalia, northern Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Thailand, USA, Europe. Although I didn’t read Leo Igwe’s Guardian letter, going by the excerpts Disu quoted, I completely agree with Leo. QUOTE:
That Islam is violent is no myth, but clearly evident from daily news reports of Islamic violence around the globe. QUOTE:
He doesn’t have to, but since Disu insists I’ll provide some: “When the sacred months are over, kill the unbelievers wherever you find them” – Quran 9:5 “O believers make war on the infidels (non-Muslims) who dwell around you, let them find harshness in you” - Quran 9:123 “Our Prophet (Mohammed), ordered us to fight you (non-Muslims) till you worship Allah alone or pay us Jizyah (extortion) in submission…Whoever amongst us is killed as a martyr shall go to Paradise…and whoever survives shall become your master” – Sahih Bukhari 4:53:386 QUOTE:
Islam does not consider anyone who rejects Mohammed’s religion ‘innocent’, so we non-Muslims are all fair game for Jihadist attacks: “When the sacred months are over, kill the unbelievers wherever you find them” – Quran 9:5 “O believers make war on the infidels (non-Muslims) who dwell around you, let them find harshness in you” - Quran 9:123 QUOTE:
Yet the Quran enjoins Muslims to hostility and violence against Jews & Christians: “Fight against Christians and Jews that do not believe neither in Allah nor in the last day…and do not embrace the true faith” - Q 9:29 “Believers do not take Jews or Christians as friends or helpers” - Q 5:51 Accordingly, Christians in predominantly Muslim societies like Iraq, Egypt, Indonesia and even here in northern Nigeria are all under assault. Saudi Arabia doesn't allow building of churches. When Christians arrive at the airport, their Bibles are confiscated and shredded. Christians who hold fellowships in the privacy of their homes, are arrested. Jews are barred from even entering the Saudi Arabia. So Disu, spin your Taqiyya for the birds. No sensible informed non-Muslim believes you. QUOTE:
"Strike terror in the hearts of Allah’s enemies and your enemies" – Quran 8:60 "Allah's Apostle (Mohammed) said, 'I have been made victorious with terror.'" – Sahih Bukhari:4:52:220 QUOTE:
This promise of heavenly virgins in Islamic paradise isn’t just a Hadith, it’s in the Quran: "As for the righteous (Muslims)...We (Allah) shall wed them to beautiful virgins with lustrous eyes" - Quran 44:54 "The righteous (Muslims) they shall triumph...Theirs shall be voluptous women" - Quran 78:31-33. QUOTE:
Really? Yet there are Hadiths and other Islamic historical traditions describing persistent powerful erections for heavenly sex with virgins that re-virginate intercourse: The Holy Prophet (Mohammed) said: "The believer will be given tremendous strength in Paradise for sexual intercourse”. It was questioned: “O prophet of Allah (Mohammed) can he do that?” He said: "He will be given the strength of one hundred persons.'" (Mishkat al-Masabih 4:42:24; Sunan al-Tirmidhi 2536) When asked "Do we have sex in Paradise?" Ibn Kathir, the renowned 14th century Islamic theologian explained: 'Yes, by him who holds my soul in his hand, and it will be done...and when the sex is finished she will return pure and virgin again' – Tafsir Ibn Kathir. "Each time we sleep with a houri (heavenly maiden) we find her virgin. Besides, the penis of the elected (Muslims in heaven) never softens. The erection is eternal" - Al-Suyuti (15th century Muslim theologian) QUOTE:
Atheism does not call for killing people, Islam does. Mohammed was much worse than those characters you mention above, even though he didn’t have access to guns like they do. Albert Einstein, Bill Gates et al are all atheists and they have contributed immensely to humanity. On the other hand, Mohammed’s impact on humanity has been entirely negative. posted on 01-31-2012, 09:06:44 AM DenkerRe: Boko Haram And Islam....if i had my way am gonna convert all the churches and mosques in goaatgeria into whorehouses, discotheques and market places..anywaz... posted on 01-31-2012, 10:18:18 AM BlissfullyRe: Boko Haram And IslamKamor I want to thank you for this beautiful, eloquent and educative piece. May Allah continue to bless you and enrich you. Dont worry about the negative comments from those with the brain carved out of the stone age. Whether you explain in English or French or their mother tongue they will not understand It feeds their ego and blood thirsty whims (usually hinged on perpetual blood letting from all sides) to continue to grope in the darkness. They are deaf and dumb posted on 01-31-2012, 10:20:13 AM BlissfullyRe: Boko Haram And IslamQUOTE:
Even with the different perspectives offered in this beautiful essay and the condemnation by muslims as reported in the newspapers you can still write these lines. It is a pity but education is lost on you posted on 01-31-2012, 10:22:21 AM BlissfullyRe: Boko Haram And IslamQUOTE:
Another way of describing the ignorant is to say that education is lost on such a person. I have seen those who display lots of academic laurels but who are deaf and dumb when it comes to applying knowledge. it is indeed a pity posted on 01-31-2012, 10:36:16 AM BlissfullyRe: Boko Haram And IslamQUOTE:
Another way of describing the ignorant is to say that education is lost on such a person. I have seen those who display lots of academic laurels but who are deaf and dumb when it comes to applying knowledge. it is indeed a pity The declaration by the Muslim Public Affairs Centre , represented by the writer is a very clear one: "The Boko Haram group does not speak or act for Islam or the Muslims. We reject their rhetoric, we oppose their violent methodology, we pray that the wind of time blows them away as quickly as other extremist groups before them, and we remain very proud of the religion which God has blessed us with." If you cannot understand and respect this profound statement/declaration then I cannot help you. posted on 01-31-2012, 11:42:58 AM TruebelieverRe: Boko Haram And IslamThere is no doubt BOKO HARAM MEMBERS ARE NOT MUSLIMS, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AWARE? THAT C.A.N (CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA) RECRUIT PEOPLE LIKE BAMAGUJE SEND THEM TO ARAB LAND TO STUDY ARABIC AND ISLAMIC KNOWLEDGE TO COME BACK TO NIGERIA AND ELSE WHERE TO POSE AS MUSLIMS, IN ORDER TO TARNISH THE IMAGE OF MUSLIMS AND ISLAM. AND PREVENT PEOPLE FROM KNOWING THE TRUTH I.E ISLAM, AS BAMAGUJE IS BUSY DOING, QUOTING FAKE HADITH AND THE VERSES OF THE QURAN OUT OF CONTEXT. YES BOKO HARAM MEMBERS LIKE ALQAIDA ARE NOT MUSLIMS, THESE TWO ARE CREATED AND FUNDED BY NON -MUSLIM, THOUGH ON THE SURFACE THEY RECRUIT IGNORANT MUSLIMS THAT LACK TRUE ISLAMIC KNOWLEDGE AS THEIR MEMBERS.IF TRUTH IS TO BE TOLD MORE MUSLIMS DIED IN THE HANDS BOKO HARAM MEMBERS THAN NON MUSLIM.THIS ALONE CAN BE A CONFIRMATION THAT THEY ARE NOT MUSLIMS. IT WAS RECORDED DURING THE LIFE TIME OF BOKO HARAM LEADER MOHAMMED YUSUF,HE IS MORE CLOSE TO NON MUSLIMS THAN HE IS TO MUSLIMS.WHENEVER HE IS ARRESTED BY POLICE, IT IS THE NON MUSLIMS I.E SOME PROMINENT MEMBERS OF CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA USED TO BAIL HIM FROM THE POLICE.ISLAM IS TRUE, HELL FIRE WHICH BAMAGUJE DOES NOT BELIEVE IS TRUE AND HE WILL ENTER IT, ISAH I.E JESUS CHRIST IS TRUE BUT CHRISTIANITY IS FALSE BECAUSE IS NOT THE RELIGION OF JESUS. posted on 01-31-2012, 11:56:51 AM DenkerRe: Boko Haram And IslamQUOTE:
  posted on 01-31-2012, 13:49:12 PM Mark larRe: Boko Haram And IslamThe following are only some of the verses in the Qur'an that can and have been used in the history of Islam in support of violence in the name of God and the glories of martyrdom in a holy war.
2:190-193 "Fight in the cause of God those who fight you ... And slay them wherever ye catch them ... And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression and there prevail justice and faith in God ..." 2:216 "Fighting is prescribed for you and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But God knoweth and ye know not." 2:224 "Then fight in the cause of God and know that God heareth and knoweth all things." 3:157-158 "And if ye are slain or die in the way of God, forgiveness and mercy from God are far better than all they could amass. And if ye die, or are slain, Lo! It is unto God that ye are brought together." 3:169 "Think not of those who are slain in God's way as dead. Nay, they live finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord." 3:195 "... Those who have ... fought or been slain, verily I will blot out from them their iniquities and admit them into Gardens with rivers flowing beneath; a reward from the presence of God ..." 4:101 "... For the Unbelievers are unto you open enemies." 4:74, 75 "Let those fight in the cause of God who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter. To him who fighteth in the cause of God whether he is slain or gets victory, soon shall we give him a reward of great (value). Those who believe fight in the cause of God and those who reject faith fight in the cause of evil, so fight ye against the friends of Satan, feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan." 4:89 "They but wish that ye should reject faith as they do, and thus be on the same footing as they. But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of God. But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them…" 4:95 "Not equal are those believers who sit at (at home) and receive no hurt and those who strive and fight in the cause of God with their goods and their persons. God hath granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than those who sit (at home). 5:36 "The punishment of those who wage war against God and His apostle and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land. That is their disgrace in this world and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter." 5:54 "O ye who believe. Take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors. They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily God guideth not a people unjust." 8:12-17 "Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): "I am with you. Give firmness to the believers. I will instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers. Smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger tips off them. This because they contend against God and his apostle. If any contend against God and his apostle, God is strict in punishment ... O ye who believe. When ye meet the unbelievers in hostile array, never turn your backs to them. If any do turn his back to them on such a day, unless it be a stratagem of war ... he draws on himself the wrath of God and his abode is Hell, an evil refuge (indeed)." 8:59-60 "Let not the unbelievers think that they can get the better (of the godly). They will never frustrate (them). Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies of God and your enemies and others besides, whom ye may not know, but whom God doth know ..." 8:65 "O apostle! Rouse the believers to the fight. If there are twenty amongst you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred. If a hundred they will vanquish a thousand of the unbelievers, for these are a people without understanding." 9:5 "... fight and slay the pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war) ..." 9:14 "Fight them, and God will punish them by your hands, cover them with shame ..." 9:29 "Fight those who believe not in God nor the Last Day nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by God and his apostle nor acknowledge the Religion of Truth (even if they are) of the people of the Book, until they pay the Jizya [religious tax] with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued." 47:4 "Therefore, when ye meet the unbelievers, smite at their necks, at length when ye have thoroughly subdued them, bind a bond firmly (on them) ... but if it had been God's will, he could certainly have exacted retribution from them (himself), but (he lets you fight) in order to test you, some with others. But those who are slain in the way of God, he will never let their deeds be lost." 61:4 "Truly God loves those who fight in His cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure." posted on 01-31-2012, 14:44:33 PM DisuRe: Boko Haram And IslamGreetings of Peace.
I wish to thank everyone that has read the article- it means a lot. I am not in the habit of making an issue of specific comments to the position I express in my articles because I strongly believe that no one must be rendered voiceless as freedom of opinion and expression is a God-given right of everyone. I do appreciate intelligent critique of my views as a way to enrich myself and others. Moreso, my view is that most Nigerians are clear headed enough to evaluate arguments on the strength of their logic. We understand that perceptions are not facts, and that knowledge and objectivity are the mark of a good critic. So, for these reasons, I am satisfied to make my points and let readers make up their minds. Besides, Mohandas K Ghandi once said, "Those who know how to think, need no teachers." In this case, I am reluctant to allow blatant untruths go unchallenged so that the public may not be deceived. Of all the 'negative comments' on the article, none fall into this category as that of Bamaguje who, writing with a bubbling fury, posted what he called quotations from the Qur'an. Bamaguje was really not passing comments on my article but, quite typically, fulfilling his duty as a hate theologian. Lets take his first reference from the Quran for example: there is NO Quran in the world with chapter 9, verse 5 as that quoted in his posting. You dont have to believe me, open ANY version of the translation of the Quran and read from that reference. What anyone will find is "But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practise regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful". – Quran 9:5 (Y. Ali translation). Why is it important for me to bring out this apparent distinction in the two versions of the references? Because there is more in that verse that Bamaguje and his ilk will prefer that the readers do not see. I have quoted the whole verse 5 above. But more importantly, seeing that this verse starts with a conjunction, it is easy to surmise that there must be some information in the preceding verse. Here is verse 4 of the same chapter: "(But the treaties are) not dissolved with those Pagans with whom ye have entered into alliance and who have not subsequently failed you in aught, nor aided any one against you. So fulfil your engagements with them to the end of their term: for Allah loveth the righteous." Without much ado, it is easy to see that contrary to the meaning that Bamaguje would like the readers to take from the misquote he posted, this verse was specific to a particular incident and a particular people. No Islamic scholar has interpreted this verse differently in the entire 1400 years of Islam. Similarly, war cannot be 'holy' in Islam- this is a concept foreign to the Islam just as the origin of the term 'infidel' is foreign. I will encourage open-minded readers to perform similar check on the remaining references he gave from the Qur'an where similar pattern exists. Although I refuse to join Bamaguje in the gutters where he is, for each of those quotations he presented, I can provide seven quotations from the Bible of equal taste and style, but I wont. The reason why I will not go down that line is simply because I have studied the bible in its proper context and from the bible scholars. As a student of history and religion, I am aware that scriptural texts must be interpreted correctly, and appropriately. I normally state two points to my Christian friends when these type of issues are discussed. Firstly, I would like them to tell me what the situation of Christianity about 600 years ago, was when it was 1400 years old- the same age that Islam is today. And secondly I always remind them of what Jesus Christ is reported to have said in Matthew 7:5. For those who like to cut and paste 'quotations from the Quran supporting violence', I hope they will show courage and google the phrase 'violent verses in the bible', and see the difference. My utmost fear is that remaining obsessed with issues such as this, only indicates that we- Nigerian Muslims and Christians, are not mindful of the fact that we are literally sleepwalking into a dangerous situation that will end up exploding in our faces. We all should be horrified at the prospect of leaving for our kids a country worse than what we inherited from our own parents who lived in a more tolerant society. There are a lot more commonalities in our religious that should bring us together for our common good than to allow hate-filled maniacs on both sides to dictate for us how we should relate, much more so those whose life ambition is to separate the created from the Creator. posted on 01-31-2012, 14:53:08 PM First-ladyRe: Boko Haram And IslamQUOTE:
You have summarized it. Mohammed killed non adherents of Islam and taught his followers same There are countless hadiths and Koran verses calling for killing of infidels and those that oppose Islam In today's world Muslim in all continents where they are found have killed infidels based on those words and still do. They are the only religion I know whose prophet gave express command to it's followers to kill non adherents and those who leave their faith. Death is the punishment for apostacy in strict Muslim countries,that should tell us something Muslims tell us Mohammed is the greatest man that ever lived,their ultimate example but guess what? He was also a murderer and a violent man For Islam to be peaceful it has to be reformed And the reformed Muslims aka moderates are called infidels by their radical brethren go figure. Nobody should be fooled by these apologists.Taquiyyah aka lies and deception to promote Islam is a virtue in their religion. posted on 01-31-2012, 15:04:39 PM First-ladyRe: Boko Haram And IslamQUOTE:
http://cc-act.net/Taqiyya_Kitman.php So whenever you hear a Muslim tell you that the Koran says "there is no compulsion in religion" remember that it is a lie That passage was abrogated and replaced with violent texts about forceful conversion,They know this but they will hide it from non Muslims. The Koran can be divided in two 1.The writings when Islam was starting off,was weak,Mohammed had few followers and was appealing in peaceful words to people.That was when he wrote verses about Allah revealing the Torah etc,and peaceful co existence 2.The stronger Mohammed with a fierce army that waged wars,pillaged,raped and destroyed. Do not be deceived. posted on 01-31-2012, 15:25:53 PM First-ladyRe: Boko Haram And IslamQUOTE:
It is easy for you to come to the internet to write volumes but until you go actively in your mosques and teach tolerance of other people,you are wasting yout time Many Nigerian Christians have died for supposedly desecrating the Koran One I remember was a truck driver Gideon Akaluka whose truck backed up and supposedly climbed over a Koran and children in an Islamic school learning the Koran descended on him and beheaded him while praising Allah. Another was the female school teacher in Gombe that was beaten to death by pupils in a school because they claimed the bag she threw out while a student cheated in an exam contained a Koran. Another young man in Kaduna was killed because they claimed he used a piece of Koran he had seen to wipe a dusty seat I could go on and on and on with hundreds of examples from many countries. Your fellowMuslims the world all over celebrated 911 remember? I am not talking of events of 1400 years when Mohammed walked the earth but happening in today's world So how on earth can you convince me or anybody that this is not what your religion teaches What gives you or your religion the right to kill people who desecrate your Koran (whatever that means) Just because you revere the Koran ,doesn't mean anyone else should There is a spirit of violence in Islam Look around the world and open your holy books.The confirmation is right there. I have a poll of Muslim response to terrorism,the result will shock you,I have posted it here several times. posted on 01-31-2012, 16:03:54 PM DisuRe: Boko Haram And IslamBigotry comes in various guises - some coded, some closeted, some colossally stupid. The bigotry displayed by the last commenter falls squarely in the third category. User First-lady is evidently in a state of Islamophobic delirium as the tirade against Islam is surely un-called for in the light of the article. If you spend your life looking for and posting 'Muslim response to terrorism......here several times', does that not show that you are dominated by HATE. It may be comforting for you and your type to engage is such a tirade.....just as ignorance for some is comforting. When I read comments such as this, I truly fear for this country. How many more people like you are dominated by hate, rather than love? posted on 01-31-2012, 16:08:27 PM First-ladyRe: Boko Haram And IslamQUOTE:
Call me whatever name you choose,water poured on a stone,I know who I am 
It may be better for you to spend time trying to convince your audience that your religion is love and peace than engage me. Nobody needs to listen to me all they need to do is turn on the evening news then open the pages of the Koran and the hadiths and read the very words of Mohammed himself and his actions I do not hate anyone,there is no iota of hate in my being But I will not allow you deceive your audience any further with your "yahoo" article. I will only return to refute your lies Give me your best shot posted on 01-31-2012, 16:21:57 PM BamagujeRe: Boko Haram And IslamQUOTE:
Other than the archaic English, how is your translation above significantly different from the simpler English translation I quoted? When the sacred months are over kill the unbelievers wherever you find them – Quran 9:5 Your translation uses ‘slay’, mine says ‘kill’. Yours says ‘pagans,’ mine says ‘unbelievers. "Forbidden months" mean basically the same thing as 'sacred months', because pre-Islamic Arabs were forbidden to fight during the 4 sacred months. The ‘but’ which you make such a big deal of, only exists in the Yusuf Ali translation. Other English translations of the Quran don’t have it – see: http://www.cmje.org/religious-texts/quran/verses/009-qmt.php You make a nonsensical big deal of semantics rather than the substance of what your vile Quran actually says. It’s not for nothing that Muslims call Q 9:5, the ‘sword verse.’ It's the major incitement to violence against non-Muslims. Furthermore read the despicable verse with an open mind. It says 'kill them wherever you find them', not if they attack you. That means Muslims are to go looking for infidels to kill. Note also that the only reason Muslims should cease attacking these unbelievers is if the non-Muslims convert to Islam: "but if they repent (become Muslims) and take to prayers…let them go" – Q 9:5 QUOTE:
Since you insist on proper context, why start from verse 4? Why not from the very beginning of the Surah Al-Tauba (chapter 9) were Mohammed and his alter ego, Allah unilaterally renounced all treaties with the Meccans to facilitate Jihadist attacks on them. "Freedom from obligation (is proclaimed) from Allah and His messenger (Mohammed) toward those of the unbelievers with whom you made a treaty." – Q 9:5 Verse two states that the non-Muslims will only enjoy 4 months of respite after which Allah and his followers will descend on them: "Travel freely in the land four months, and know that ye cannot escape Allah and that Allah will confound the disbelievers (in His Guidance). - Quran 9:2 Verse 3 reiterates that Mohammed unilaterally dissolved any treaties with the non-Muslim Meccans: "A declaration from Allah and His messenger to all men on the day of the Greater Pilgrimage that Allah and His Messenger dissolve treaty obligations with the Pagans." (Q 9:3) It is therefore disingenuous and utterly nonsensical for you (Disu) and other Muslim propagandists to quote verse 4 that Meccan pagans broke a peace treaty which Mohammed had already nullified in the earlier verses (Q 9:1, 9:3) of the same Sura. Your murderous psychopath prophet was just looking for an excuse to kill non-Muslims, however idiotic his nonsensical Quran may sound. I've penned an exegesis on the "sword verse," which I shall publish at the appropriate time. Meanwhile you should read my earlier article - Why Muslims are violent. http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/nafata-bamaguje/why-muslims-are-violent.html QUOTE:
There are no verses in the Bible that incite Christians to continued open ended violence against unbelievers as in the Quran. The violence in the Bible was limited to the Jewish conquest of Canaan. By the way, I'm not a Christian!! Disu, you would do well to listen to First Lady. Muslims can only improve their image by changing their behaviour and stop constituting themselves a nuisance to humanity; not by telling blatant propaganda lies about their false religion as you are doing. posted on 01-31-2012, 16:24:55 PM First-ladyRe: Boko Haram And IslamQUOTE:
1.Hit the airwaves and preach peace and tolerance despite your provocations 2.Have it blaring from your loudspeakers in the mosques 3.take out ads on TV 4.use bill boards 5.print flyers and distribute to Muslims in Nigeria 6.go on BBC Hausa and teach tolerance and condemn the violence that has become associated with Islam unequivocally 7.gather your almajiris and educate them on this 8.condemn Boko Haram with billboards all over Nigeria 9.say it loud in those billboards that Boko Haram and groups like them are anti Islam 10.Point out the many terrorists and terrorist financiers and supporters in your midst. Coming on the internet to yarn dust will not help anyone People are slaughtered as you waste your time here It behooves you to help save those lives not doing cheap PR work on NVS posted on 02-01-2012, 04:19:19 AM DisuRe: Boko Haram And IslamMy comments here have simply been about clarifying those issues, not related to the substance of my article, that were introduced to deliberately mislead, cause confusion for readers and mischaracterize Islam. Especially, those about the so-called verses in the Quran that empower or exhort Muslims to be violent or make Islam blood-thirsty. I attempted to make the clarification for the benefit of the wider reading public because I know that one area that hate merchants like the two of you use is to misinform people and claim to be experts in a religion you both hate.
It is possible for me to pick up any newspaper in Nigeria today, cut and paste a suitable sentence from the newspaper and 1000 years later try to use that sentence on its own to judge that such a newspaper promotes violence. When you quoted “When the sacred months are over, kill the unbelievers wherever you find them”, called it Quran 9:5 and used it to support your assertion that Islam enjoins indiscriminate violence on 'others', is it not right to expose your lie by calling the attention of the public to the whole verse- lets even leave aside the context for the moment. Any unbiased person should see how mischievous that exercise is, and what you both have been doing with the verses you continue to churn out from the hate manuals you read is no different. I am quite glad that Bamaguje accepts that he is not a Christian because there is nothing Christ-like about his manner, and I will reiterate what I said earlier, google the phrase 'violent verses in the bible' and see the number of such verses. How come Christianity is not labelled as a violent religion based on that 'proof', or the proof of violent Christian groups like the Lord Resistance Army in Uganda, the IRA in Northern Ireland, National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) in India, Iron Guard and Lăncieri in Romania, etc- groups that have used Old Testament and New Testament scriptures to justify violence and killing. Only last year, Anders Behring Breivik an extremist Christian with worldview which includes support for Islamophobia, killed 69 people to market his manifesto of preserving European Christendom. 2 years earlier, pregnant Marwa el-Sherbin was murdered in a courtroom in Dresden, Germany, by a right wing extremist who had called her a terrorist for wearing the hijab (http://www.mpac-ng.org/downloads/hijab-brochure.pdf)- yes for a piece of cloth on her head! And I can go on and on but I won’t. The bottom line as I stated in my article is that there are bad and evil people in all religions, nationalities, races, etc and it is partly due to the blind hate you both are expressing here that turn them ultimately into violent beasts. I know for sure that NO divine religion call to hate, violence or murder. Once again, I leave it to the readers to check on those verses and make up their minds because discussing with you in any productive way is harder than drawing water from a rock. MPAC is quite proud of its work as a strong and respected voice in the country as a champion and defender of social justice, equality, and tolerance. If you wish to know our work, feel free to go to http://www.mpac-ng.org/about-mpac/mpac-positions.html and see for yourself. In a unique event of its type in the country last year, MPAC brought together some of the best minds from the Muslim and Christian communities in Nigeria to set a new agenda for the nation towards true reconciliation and genuine peace- www.mpac-convention.org, http://www.youtube.com/mpacng. Sadly, people like the two of you are deluded that you are making a better commitment to your faith or system of belief by HATING. Unless you repair such a mentality, and abandon your self-righteous posture which informs your hateful ranting, you will continue to live on the margin of the society where extremists like you are confined to. posted on 02-01-2012, 04:30:19 AM BlissfullyRe: Boko Haram And IslamQUOTE:
I wish you had listened to my advice to the effect that you should ignore this people. You will only expend your energies and at the end of the day achieve nothing. posted on 02-01-2012, 04:30:52 AM BlissfullyRe: Boko Haram And IslamQUOTE:
I wish you had listened to my advice to the effect that you should ignore this people. You will only expend your energies and at the end of the day achieve nothing. posted on 02-01-2012, 14:04:34 PM Tony.adamsRe: Boko Haram And IslamI wish to commend Mr. Disufor this write-up, but only as a first step. But rather than engage First Lady and Bamaguje in a war of words or try to find violent verses in the Bible, to justify the Quaranic injunctions to kill non Muslims, he should take to First Lady's advice an preach peace and tolerance to Muslims.
If Disu is indeed a student of religion and the Bible, he would have realised that there no Bible verses where Jesus instructed his followers to fight or kill anybody, whether friend or foe. There are verses in the Old Tastement about wars and all that, but that is where it ends. The Old Tastement is a spiritual 'Guide' to the Jews, and Christians read the Old Tastement in the light of the New, as Disu should have found out from his 'scholar' friends. Even the Israelis today don't claim they are obeying the instructions in the Torah when they fight their wars. Jesus did say he was bringing war on earth and that a man's enemis would be members of his household, but it was clear that he meant Christians would suffer persucutions, even from their family members as it is today. When he told the disciples to get their swords and Peter misunderstood and used his sword to slash the ear of one of those who had come to arrest Jesus, Jesus rebuked him, that he didn't need anyone to wage war on his behalf. Jesus NEVER instructed followers to fight with or kill anybody Prophet Mohammed clearly, and unequivocally instructed his followers to kill, the circumstance or context is another matter. It is Mohammed's instructions that fanatical Muslisms are obeying. Yes, there are fanatical Christians, but they will never find Jesus' words to justify their actions, in or out of context. They have to look elswhere. If Disu read Anders Breivik's Manifesto, he would have realised that he was not quoting the Bible to support his actions. He was more occupied with preserving European culture than Christianity. Anders did not search -out Muslims to kill. His was clearly a political agenda. Yes, he idolised the kings who sponsored and fought the much talked about Crusades, but not Jesus. Jesus NEVER instructed him to kill anybody. The Crusades, though athorised by a Pope, was more about territorial expansion that preservation of Christianity. The Kings who led, and the templars who fought, did so to gain territories, pay their debts, etc. But the Crusades are long gone and Muslims should not use that as a justification for their killing spree. Today what matters is the response of Christian religious and political leaders to extremists who purpport to act in the name of Christianity. They come out in full force to condemn it. They don't give excuses or blame it on anybody or poverty or injustice even though there are a thousand and one reasons that could be used to justify their actions. They arrest, prosecute, and imprison the perpetrators, and take pro-active measures to prevent a re-ocurrence. They reassure the traumatised community, both publicly and privately. As a student of religion I know and agree with Disu that religious texts must be read and understood in context. Verses must not be yanked out of their context and given stand-alone interpretations. I have taken out time to read portions of the Quoran in order to relate with and understand my moderate Muslims friends, and I do have many of them, mainly of Yoruba extraction. I am yet to see a moderate Hausa Fulani Muslim. All of them try to justify Boko Haram's and other terrorist acts. There are many verses in the Quoran, where a moderate muslim will find difficult to convince many fanatical Muslims or non Muslims that the intention of Prophet Mohammed was peaceful co-existence with non practisioners, including the contentious ones quoted by Bamaguje. But rather than duel on the literal instructions in those verses, I have chosen to look at them in the context of Prophet Mohammed as both a religious and political leader. As a political leader, Mohammed was entitled to not only protect his subjects, but also expand and conqour territories for them. But as other political leaders of his time, wars were always fought in the names of the gods they worship, and to Mohammed, he was fighting in the name of his Allah. It is not difficult to see that those instructions cannot apply today, and many of my moderate Muslim friends agree with me. The danger is that the fanatical ones believe in the eternal application of the literal renderings of those passages. Disu's pr-occupation will be with the latter group of people, and like First Lady advised, he should start in the Mosques and with Muslim youth and children groups, in order to mould their minds to think differently. posted on 02-01-2012, 14:11:49 PM First-ladyRe: Boko Haram And IslamQUOTE:
That is the only duty Disu Kamor owes non Muslims in Nigeria including myself not tired recycled posts that does me no freaking good while people are butchered in cold blood. If he can dissuade a few Muslims to lay down their ammunition and embrace peace,he would have done well Actions speak louder than words Thanks tony.adams for your entire post above posted on 02-01-2012, 14:36:47 PM IgweRe: Boko Haram And Islam@ Disu & FL, Both Islam and Christianity are violent religions because they are conquering religions. Every xtian wants to convert people to Christianity because s/he believes it has the absolute truth, ditto for Muslims. Most Africans who are Christians or Muslims could not have been so without the violence used to propagate those religions. For those who are equating Christianity with tolerance, why didn't the Christian missionaries that came to Africa tolerate the faiths of our forefathers? Why weren't the Muslim Arabs tolerant of the faiths of our forefathers? You can see that intolerance personified in the comments here by some people who are too afraid to answer their own names! Because the times have changed a lot, I don't think Islam can ever match Christianity in violence, given the millions slaughtered by christian crusaders and inquisitions. Anybody who denies that is ignorant of the history of the Church. Not that Muslims are not trying to do their best in violence! Having said that, it's shameful to watch Africans try to out-do themselves defending the very same foreign religions that have kept them subjugated for centuries. It's very pathetic! Ka Chineke mezie okwu! posted on 02-01-2012, 15:14:19 PM Mark larRe: Boko Haram And IslamQUOTE:
posted on 02-01-2012, 15:16:29 PM First-ladyRe: Boko Haram And IslamQUOTE:
u get time for that rascal that is obsessed with Buhari I hope he doesn't strap on a bomb and shout "Buhari" then enter Eke Onunwa market and cause serious havoc posted on 02-01-2012, 15:27:21 PM Mark larRe: Boko Haram And IslamLol @ FL posted on 02-01-2012, 19:18:57 PM IgweRe: Boko Haram And IslamQUOTE:
More sign of brainwashing. Exactly what I said: you want everybody to believe your Christian propaganda, but still claim you're tolerant and peaceful. Tolerance and peace my foot! Your tolerance ends once you meet somebody who doesn't agree with you or challenges you. Then you want to set that person right by hook or crook via your own skewed and imported doctrines and metaphysical abracadabras. Our ancestors did so many silly things, but they never fought religious wars. If they went to war and their god didn't lead them to victory, or they had a disaster and their god didn't help them, they promptly changed the god. In other words, they had no patience for useless gods. If in doubt go to Okija and come back. Your fake gods stand by while you're being butchered. What is the name of the God of your ancestors? Find that out and free yourself from mental slavery. The Chineke, a.k.a Chukwu Abiama, of my forebears, has nothing to do with Jesus or Mohammed. For my people, he's the original, unadultrated God. They call him and he answers them with immediate effect! Dare to test the freedom flavored with originality, it's very sweet! Ka Chineke mezie okwu! Comments Page: 1 2 |
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