Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: STOP BLASPHEMY FOR PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE

Menahem Hamelberg,

I am greatly appalled by you tacitly implying that I am disrespecting the Prophet of Islam, Mohammed, simply because I pointed out the indisputable facts that Islam is an Arabic religion, its holly book, Quran, is written in Arabic Language and its foremost Prophet, Muhammad was an Arab and the name for God in Arabic is Allah. I do not disrespect the Prophet of Islam by declaring that since I am an African of Yoruba origin, God who in Yoruba language is called OLÓRUN (the King or owner of Heaven) would not have chosen an Arab person to send His message to me or non-Arab speaking Africans in Arabic language. Expressing yourself in collective pronoun, you wrote : What are we asking? Is what we are asking too much to ask? Too much for you to grant? We are only asking you to respect the Prophet of Islam ... I have not disrespected the Prophet of Islam, rather, I have dissociated myself from the collective stupidity illustrated by the psychologist, Solomon Asch thus, "If a majority of people embraces a manifestly false and idiotic theory, others will go along with it merely because of the power of conformity. Whatever Deborah Samuel Yakubu might have uttered which was interpreted to imply disrespect to the Islamic prophet, it is only the prophet himself who should feel the disrespect and react accordingly and not any stupid house-niggers on his behalf. In law, one is allowed to avenge the slap on one's own face by a slapper but it is criminal for one to avenge the slap on the face of another person than self. Can you extrapolate a slap on another person's face to your own face?

STOP BLASPHEMY FOR PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE issued by the Muslim Solidarity Forum, Sokoto, is based on fraudulent belief that Federal Republic of Nigeria is a theocratic country governed with Qur'anic and Biblical laws. Section 10 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution says emphatically that "The Government of the Federation or of a State shall not adopt any Religion as a State Religion." In the secular Nigeria, blasphemy is not a criminal offence under the Constitution or the laws. Freedom of speech as guaranteed in the Constitution of Nigeria permits me to say I don't believe that God debauched Mary to produce Jesus, or to say Muhammad was not an African but an Arab prophet. No normal person will attribute my statements to blasphemy and what any sensible person who is opposed to my statements would do is disprove me with empirical evidence. Charging from the minds cocooned in Islamic putridity, the Muslim Solidarity Forum, Sokoto, approved the brutal murder of Deborah Samuel Yakubu by Islamic predators. It is repugnant to reason for Muslim Solidarity Forum, Sokoto, to turn around to issue a tacit ultimatum to Nigerians to stop blasphemy or else they will be murdered by Islamic predators in a secular Nigeria.

S. Kadiri

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From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Cornelius Hamelberg <corneliushamelberg@gmail.com>
Sent: 21 May 2022 00:24
To: USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: STOP BLASPHEMY FOR PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE

 

Baba Kadiri,

On my part, as I have already made clear in this thread, I endorse every letter and embrace the spirit of the letter and appreciate the timely stand that Muslim Solidarity Forum Soloto has taken and is taking on this matter. It's a praiseworthy, peaceful, intelligent intervention. What are we asking? Is what we are asking too much to ask? Too much for you to grant? We are only asking that you respect the Prophet of Islam, Sallallahu alaihi wa salaam. 

Pope of course was being a little sarcastic when he penned 

"A perfect Judge will read each Work of Wit

 With the same Spirit that its Author writ"

In your case,  it seems that you have either misread, i.e. not read in the spirit of the written word or you have "read" and completely misunderstood the well-intentioned communique/ appeal  "STOP BLASPHEMY FOR PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE  issued by Muslim Solidarity Forum Sokoto

Furthermore, this kind of wording is not helpful because it sounds like you are looking down on Sharia when you say ( the emphasis mine), "Although Sokoto state adopted Sharia Laws in 2000, it is only a tail in the body of criminal laws that had been enacted and which are still being enacted by the Sokoto State House of Assembly law makers."

 Perhaps unconsciously I'm thinking of the Jewish prayer which goes, "May it be Your will, Adonai our God, that we be like the head and not like the tail"

Please carefully consider what you're saying and try to avoid offending, the ummah, inadvertently, by saying offensive things  may be due to ignorance, prejudice based on ignorance/ innocence/ lack of respect, kufr, poor judgement 

On Friday, 20 May 2022 at 22:09:08 UTC+2 ogunlakaiye wrote:

​Muslim Solidarity Forum, Sokoto, must have hurriedly been formed to support the murderers of Deborah Samuel Yakubu which is why the article below was signed by Professor Isa Muhammadu Maishanu and Mallam Muhammad Usman Ali as Acting Chairman and Acting Secretary respectively.

Nigeria is a multi-ethnic and a multi-religious country, which is why it is specifically stated in Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria that "The Government of the Federation or of a State shall not adopt any Religion as a State Religion." Religion is a private affair of every individual Nigeria even though freedom of association as guaranteed in the Nigerian Constitution permits like minds to worship and pray together. Besides the Nigerian Constitution there are operational civil and criminal laws throughout all the States in Nigeria. Constitutionally, Nigerians are free to dwell, study and work in any part of the Federation without molestation or discrimination. Although Sokoto state adopted Sharia Laws in 2000, it is only a tail in the body of criminal laws that had been enacted and which are still being enacted by the Sokoto State House of Assembly law makers. Constitutionally, it is the Executive Governor of Sokoto State who signs into Law all laws enacted by Sokoto State Assembly. There are, magistrate and High, Courts in Sokoto State and cases there can go through the Court of Appeal up to the Supreme Court. Sokoto State is not a theocratic state governed by the contents of any scripture. Blasphemy may be punishable under Sharia law but not under the Constitution and Criminal Laws of Nigeria which are far more superior to Sharia Laws. In fact, a Christian cannot be tried in the Sharia court and a Muslim can even opt to be tried in the Magistrate or High Court instead of Sharia Court for any crime.

Justifying the murder of Deborah Samuel Yakubu of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, Professor Maishanu and Mallam Ali accused the late student thus, "In the message, which was in Hausa language, she was heard abusing the religion of Islam and hurling the most despicable and immoral abuse on the person of the Noble Prophet Muhammad ... This act is the most extreme provocation anyone can do to any Muslim who has an iota of faith in him."

​Deborah's message was conveyed in Hausa language and even if Prophet Muhammad were to be alive, he could not have felt insulted or abused since he would not have been able to understand Hausa because his mother tongue is Arabic. The people of Sokoto State are not Arabs and why should anyone of them feel offended and be pained if an Arab Prophet is abused or vilified? Angered by the message of Deborah on WhatsApp group Professor Maishanu and Mallam Ali wrote, "This senseless, reckless and irresponsible act of incitement triggered riot by students who protested against this extreme act of provocation in the seat of Caliphate. This culminated in the loss of life of *that student* during the mob action." It is usual for a group of people to protest and even riot against the authorities, societies and institutions but physical attack against an individual by a group can never, on any reasonable ground, be classified as riot or demonstration, and most especially when the attacked person, as in the case of Deborah Yakubu, suffers death. The brutally murdered Deborah Yakubu has callously been referred to by Professor Isa Muhammad Maishanu and Mallam Muhammad Usman Ali as *that student* and as if they were out to confirm the observations of Lord Lugard, the first Governor General of Nigeria as written in his 1922 book, The Dual Mandate in British Tropical Africa. In what has always been regarded as racist bias, Lugard wrote, "The African Negro is not naturally cruel, though his own insensibility to pain and his disregard for life cause him to appear callous to suffering. He sacrifices life freely under the influence of (religious) superstition, or in the lust and excitement of battle, or for ceremonial display. ...//... He (the African Negro) lacks power of organisation, and is conspicuously deficient in the management and control alike of men or of business. He loves to display power, but fails to realise its responsibility. He has the courage of the fighting animal - an instinct rather than a moral virtue. He (the African Negro) is very prone to imitate anything new in dress or custom, whether it be the turban and flowing gown of the Moslem (Arab) or the straw hat and trousers of the European, however unsuited to his environment and conditions of life. ...//.... Perhaps the two traits which have impressed me as those most characteristic of the African native are his lack of apprehension and inability to visualise the future... (p. 69-70)." Professor Maishanu and Mallam Ali wrote "We condemn in the strongest terms reviling and disparaging the personality of our leader the Noble Prophet Muhammad by any person whoever he might be." The proprietors of Muslim Solidarity Forum, Sokoto, would have sounded honest if they had stated that they condemned Deborah to death and their predators were justified in executing her.

Whatever negative statements Deborah might have made about the Prophet of Islam, no one has the right to murder her on account of that. At most, she should have been taken to court where the onus would have been on the plaintiff to prove if a non-Nigerian and a dead Arab prophet was defamed or not. Therefore, all those who participated in the gruesome murder of Deborah Samuel Yakubu, in Sokoto on Thursday, 12 May 2022, should be arrested and tried for murder. There is a precedent of such religious murder trial in Nigerian history. A Muslim preacher called, Alfa in Yoruba, whose name was, Bisiriyu Apalara, ridiculed and desecrated the Yoruba Órò worshipers in 1953 and contrary to the tradition, he demonstrated to women the origin of the sound of Órò. At Okobaba, Ebute-Metta, Lagos mainland, Apalara gave advance notice that he was coming to preach against pagans and Órò worshippers in the area. Órò worshipers warned him not to attempt it. On Saturday, January 1953, at 8pm Nigerian time, Apalara arrived at Oko-baba only to disappear after the sound of Órò deity. The following morning, what looked like human blood was traced from Tapa Street to the shore of the nearby Lagoon. Eleven people, including two brothers Raimi and Mustafa Oteka, were subsequently arrested and charged to Court for murder. Although the remains of Alfa Bisiriyu Apalara was never found, the eleven were tried and convicted of murder. The Yoruba often say, A ki nri ajeku Órò which literally translates to : We can never see the leftover of Órò meal. Alfa Bisiriyu Apalara blasphemed the religion of Órò worshippers but in law the cult had no right to punish or kill him. And despite the fact that his body was never found, the 11 Órò were sentenced to death by hanging. Thus, Sokoto and the Federal government should see to it that all those who participated in the murder of Deborah Samuel Yakubu are arrested and convicted for their crime.

S. Kadiri    

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From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Toyin Falola <toyin...@austin.utexas.edu>
Sent: 17 May 2022 23:00
To: dialogue <USAAfric...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - STOP BLASPHEMY FOR PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE

 

STOP BLASPHEMY FOR PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE
By Muslim Solidarity Forum Sokoto
Ath-thulatha, 16th Shawwal, 1443 AH | Tuesday, May 17, 2022

1.The Muslim Solidarity Forum Sokoto, as an umbrella body for Imams, scholars, preachers, Islamic organizations, Islamic centers and Sufi orders in the state has been following the sad events that happened last Thursday 11th Shawwal, 1443 AH (12.05.2022 CE) at Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto and their aftermath with great concern and wishes to submit thus:

2.The unfortunate incident started when a Christian student by name Deborah Yakubu posted a widely circulated voice note in a students' WhatsApp group because some Muslim members of the group shared some Islamic contents. In the message, which was in Hausa language, she was heard abusing the religion of Islam and hurling the most despicable and immoral abuse on the person of the Noble Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him), bragging that nothing would happen to her, despite warning by her friends. This act is the most extreme provocation anyone can do to any Muslim who has an iota of faith in him. The Hall Administrator according to widely circulated audio has also warned severally how she was making reckless statements that could bring havoc!

3.This senseless, reckless and irresponsible act of incitement triggered riot by students, who protested against this extreme act of provocation in the seat of the Caliphate. This culminated in the loss of life of that student during the mob action.

4.We therefore, condemn in strongest terms reviling and disparaging the personality of our leader, the Noble Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him) by any person whoever he might be.

5.Despite the terrible nature and seriousness of this offence, we call on all Muslims not to take law into their hands and allow the relevant organs of government to handle cases of such nature.

6.This is not the first time a Christian whether, student or not is deliberately making blasphemous statements against the person of the Noble Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him) or trying to desecrate the Glorious Qur'an within and outside the state, thereby triggering religious crises and loss of lives and properties as witnessed in the last thirty (30) years. To stop this ugly trend, there is need for concerted efforts by all stakeholders towards addressing the roots of the menace.

7.In order to achieve the above mentioned, the following facts should be clear to all:
i. Any true Muslim - by the dictates of his religion- loves the Noble Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him) more than his own self, parents, children and the entire humanity. He will not hesitate to sacrifice his life in defense of his honor.
ii. Muslims equally respect and honor all other Prophets and Messengers of Allah without discrimination, from Adam to Jesus, son of Maryam (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon them all). Speaking ill or showing disrespect to any one of them is an act of disbelief that takes one out of the fold of Islam. That's why no any true Muslim will consider doing that.
iii. The punishment for blasphemy against Prophets (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon them) is death according to the Islamic law. It is also the same in the Bible as mentioned in Leviticus 24 verses 10-16; First Kings 21 verses 10-13 and Second Kings verses 23-25. However, the execution of that punishment rests with the authorities.
iv. History and current realities have shown that blasphemous utterances against the Noble Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him) is suicidal and a sure way of living a miserable life in the least, whether in a Muslim majority or minority climes. The case of French teacher who presented Charlie Hebdo blasphemous cartoons to his students last year is still fresh in our memories.
v. In all cases of blasphemy in Nigeria within the last three decades, it has always been a Christian deliberately provoking Muslims through unguarded and unjustified insults against the personality of the Noble Prophet Muhammad (may the peace of and blessings of Allah be upon him) or desecration of the Glorious Qur'an leading to reaction which often escalate into religious crises. There was no single time when a Muslim made blasphemous comments against any personality honored in Christianity.
vi. The poor handling of this very sensitive issue of blasphemy by many governments in the past, where the inciters, such as Rev. Bako in Kafanchan crisis of 1987, escaped justice while many innocent Muslims suffered maltreatment in the hands of some security agencies, made the generality of Muslims to view the position of this and many past governments as skewed in favor of Christians.
vii. It is on record that unjustifiable killings of Muslims were committed at Zangon Kataf in 1991 and 1992; Tafawa Balewa in 1991, 1993, 1995 and 2001; Yelwan Shendam in 2004, Zonkwa and Jarkasa in 2011; Mambilla plateau in 2017; Dura du in Jos in 2018; Ijagbo killing of a Muslim student in 2022 among others, but no single person was punished for those crimes.
viii. The attitude of some Muslim leaders who are quick to condemn wrong actions committed by some Muslims, but are always deaf and dumb whenever Muslim religion, lives, properties and honor are trampled upon has compounded the matter, pushing an average Muslim to resort to self-help as there's apparently nobody interested in safeguarding his fundamental rights.
ix. The attitude of many Christian leaders who impliedly endorse blasphemous utterances through silence; refusal to openly condemn such heinous utterances and not teaching their congregations to avoid such sacrilegious acts, also encourage blasphemous acts by some of their members.

8.In view of the foregoing, we make the following demands:
a.The extant laws punishing acts of blasphemy not only in the state but in the whole country should be immediately reviewed to reflect the enormity and gravity of the offense in order to prevent disruption of law and order in the society and needless destruction of lives and properties.
b.Sokoto state government shall pay full compensation to the families of those slain and injured by the security agents during peaceful demonstration on Saturday 13th Shawwal, 1443 AH (14.05.2022 CE) in Sokoto, while we also call on the government to investigate the activities of those security agents and prosecute those found responsible.
c.The Nigeria Police, The Department of State Security and other relevant agencies shall as a matter of urgency investigate and bring to face justice those behind a YouTube channel called JARUMA HAUSA TV, who made it their primary duty to churn out contemptable statements on respected and eminent Muslim personalities such as the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, Shaikh Usmanu bn Fodiyo (may Allah have mercy on him), President Muhammadu Buhari, His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto, numerous Emirs and many notable Islamic scholars. This should be done to avoid a religious conflagration.
d.The Muslim leaders who refuse to defend the honor of the Noble Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him) and stand for Muslim rights for whatever reason should know that Islam is their source of honor, and if they sought for honor from outside its fold, Allah the Most High will surely humiliate them.
e.The Christian leaders should, in the interest of peaceful coexistence publicly preach against blasphemy and educate their followers that blasphemy is against the scriptures and is a trouble shooter that will consume the perpetrator first before others.

f.We call on Islamic scholars, Imams and preachers to intensify efforts in educating and enlightening people both Muslims and non-Muslims about the Noble qualities and life story of the Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him) and other Prophets of Allah (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon them), as sublime human personalities who deserve all honor.
g.Similarly, we call on all Muslims to remain calm, law abiding and avoid any act that will lead to chaos, as well as continue to emulate the Noble Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him) in all spheres of their lives.

9.Finally, we pray Allah the Most High, to increase our love, respect and emulation of His Noble Messenger Muhammad (may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon him); keep us firm on his path in this world and the hereafter; guide those who ignorantly hate him to the right path and bring peace and prosperity to our nation, surely He is able to do so.

Signed
Prof. Isa Muhammad Maishanu (Ag. Chairman) and Mal. Muhammad Usman Ali (Ag. Secretary)


Sent from my iPhone

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