Imamate Tussle in Ebiraland, Part II.
*In His Name the Most High*
_“Peace can not be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding”_ – *Albert Einstein*
The international community has been trying to secure peace globally for no avail because they are yet to draw the best line in securing peace, hence they cause more problems.
Some of their agenda is to eliminate terrorism, apartheid, poverty to mention but few, while the results are not seen, they end up causing more problems.
_“Nothing will end war until people themselves understand that going to war is not the solution”_ – *Albert Einstein*
When I read a writeup this afternoon authored by one Mr. *Ogo’ogu MD* I realised that majority of those who stepped up for peacemaking know nothing about peace, they always end up adding to the conflicts.
His write up is filled with insults, anger, boasting name calling. In fact, his submission is worse than that of Honorable Asuku. Mr Ogo’ogu! You reacted more than needed, your silence would have been better.
He went so far terming the Islamic religion as a religion that is not found or rooted in the word of God but men ideology. What brought this? He wanted to revenge what he termed an insult from the Chief of Staff, look at where he lead himself to?
Anger always lead people away from their reasons and degrade their ability to rationalize. I am very sure that the Chief of Staff is not out to ridicule the Christians from heart but only failed to arrange and fix his words coherently.
Mr Ogo’ogu, as you are demanding an apology from the Honorable Chief of Staff despite your aggression towards him, Muslims will not demand an apology from you because you don’t know but be informed that the Islamic religion is found and rooted in your Holy Bible. Allow your Holy Book to speak.
My dear honorable Asuku! going back to the main issue on Imamate of Ebiraland, It is said that peace is absence of conflict and war. And a peace maker must remain neutral at all cost. A peace maker must however plan well how to resolve a conflict, how to prevent a further conflict. A peace maker must listen very well from all the angles with a maximum patience, know and understand the similarities and the differences.
Search for scholars of different sects, ask them to bring the principles and devices needed to hold and maintain this objective. One will hardly succeed in making peace if those needed to be united were not involved.
Remember our dear Chief of Staff that unity among the Muslims is more important than the issue of this Imamate itself. Unity must come first.
No sect in Islam that doesn’t believe in Allah and His Apostle. All sects in Islam believe there is a day of judgement. These similarities are enough to unite us, however the reverse had been the case for selfish ground.
The differences, chaos, fighting between themselves has led our honorable Chief of Staff proclaiming that all these sects have no rout in the holy Quran. Supposing these sects look into their similarities, neglect their differences and unite for peace, his message would have been a positive one.
Supposing we the Muslims respected each other’s view, unite and work together, I am sure the CoS won’t have compared us to the Christians leading to the sad writeup of Mr. Ogo’ogu. He won’t have denied the existence of sects in Islam.
Is it really true that all these sects have no rout in Islam or in the holy Quran? If it is true, where is Islam then? since no one without having a sect he belongs to, one may not call himself so and so but his act will show his stand.
While other sects are free to show you their root in the holy Quran, permit me your Honor to tell you the root of Shi’a in Islam.
The first that mentioned the word Shi’a is Allah, the Almighty Himself. He used it to qualify Prophet Ibrahim (s) in one place of the holy Quran and used it to qualify a follower of Prophet Musa (s) in another place.
*God said:* Peace and salutation to Prophet Nuhu among the nations. Thus do we surely reward the good doers. Surely he was one of our believing servants. Then We drowned the others. And most surely Ibrahim was among his Shi’a (follower). *Sura swafat vs 79-83*
When narrating the story of Prophet Musa, *God said:* _And he went into the city at a time of unvigilance on the part of it’s people, so he found therein two men fighting, one is among his Shi’a (followers) and another one among his enemies._ *Sura Qasas vs 15.*
There is a verse from the holy Quran that shows all human being on earth are Shi’a (followers). The main issue is your definition, that is, you are Shi’a (follower) of who?
*God said:* _Then We will most certainly draw forth from every Shi’a of them who among them that is most exorbitantly rebellious against the Beneficent God._ *Sura Maryam vs 69*
God the Almighty termed the people in the time of Pharaoh as Shia.
*God said:* _Surely Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people Shia (subjects), weakening and punishing some part among them; slaughtering their sons and let their women live; he was one of the mischief makers._ *Sura Qasas vs 4*
Based on these Holy verses, we can call our honorable Chief of staff a Shi’a but Shi’a of who?
If you go through these above verses, you will understand that some Muslims are using it to qualify themselves because Allah and His Apostle used it. Not that they are using it as a sectarian dialectics.
The holy Prophet Mohammad is the second that used the word Shi’a in the world of Islam. He used it to qualify those who will follow Ali (a) after his death.
The Holy Prophet (s) said: _the Shi’a of Ali (a) are the successful ones in the day of resurrection._ Apart from the Shi’a books, a lot of Sunni scholars have narrated this tradition in their books of Tradition, History and Tafaseer.
Looking at all these genuine traditions, one will understand that those who separated from Ali (a) and refused to follow the instructions of the Holy Prophet are those that brought division to the world of Islam from that very sad day of Prophet’s demise till today.
And lastly, I am using this opportunity to assure all citizens that Shi’a Muslims are peaceful individuals, Shia Movements are Peaceful Muslim Organisations and the Shi’a school of thought regards all other Muslim sects as brothers in Islam. We have no history of violence in Ebiraland and the nation at large.
*Imam Ali said:* All humans are either brethren in faith or partners in Humanity. This is the cardinal principle that shape Shia Muslims good habit of peaceful coexistence and seeking cooperation within their respective communities.
Our similarities are more than our differences, we must work together, overlook our differences for peace to reign in our land.
*Mohammad Yusuf*
08038872217.