Without mincing words, the killing of the British soldier named Drummer Lee Rigby by a Nigeria-descendant Briton; Micheal ‘Mujahid’ Adebolajo on the street of Woolwich has opened another historic, though unfortunate page in the socio-political directory of terrorism. Nigerians at home and in Diaspora through our cyber spaced geographical entity have been analyzing, criticizing and diagnosing Terrorism, Terrorists and the war on terror in view of the ugly but awakening incidence. The unofficial ‘press statement’ made by this murderer and his ‘argument’ to justify this crime has undoubtedly and so expectedly took our mind to Al-Qaedanism; the Machiavellian movement of Islamism.
Without mincing words, the killing of the British soldier named Drummer Lee Rigby by a Nigeria-descendant Briton; Micheal ‘Mujahid’ Adebolajo on the street of Woolwich has opened another historic, though unfortunate page in the socio-political directory of terrorism. Nigerians at home and in Diaspora through our cyber spaced geographical entity have been analyzing, criticizing and diagnosing Terrorism, Terrorists and the war on terror in view of the ugly but awakening incidence. The unofficial ‘press statement’ made by this murderer and his ‘argument’ to justify this crime has undoubtedly and so expectedly took our mind to Al-Qaedanism; the Machiavellian movement of Islamism.
The Islamists in their reductionists’ view diminish Islam to Politics and Jihad; they are otherwise called advocates of Political Islam. This parochial perspective has made their approach to Jihad an infected methodology, opening pores for penetrators to hijack their struggle, mis-direct their focus, and hence invalidate the legitimacy of their advocacy. Their mis-placed priority has always results in high level of thuggery, brigandage and barbarism. This is one of the reasons why those who are well- informed about their ills will not be caught with surprise when these so-called Jihadists are found robbing and kidnapping. In view of the present configuration of the global socio-political landscape, Muslims see implementation of Shari’ah as an end from certain means like uncorrupted evangelism of the message of Islam, healthy human relation and role modelling for human emulation, while the Islamists believe in the use of force as the only means to Shari’ah. The earlier they know the rate at which Muslims’ fold in countries like Iran, Iraq, Syria, Nigeria and Pakistan is shrinking, while that of countries like UK, USA, Canada, France and Australia is swelling, the better for their sensibility.
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The new verge of our social discussion has passed a gauntlet unto us. This is a non-evasive responsibility of educating people generally and Muslims specifically about an adoptable classifying and separating tool to know and tell people that Muslims are different from Islamists, while Islam and Islamism are non-substitutes. While some of us are not comfortable with the nomenclature, the reality that has caught up with us signals that we have been heavily infiltrated internally and externally, and it is high time we stood up to take our liability, and stop playing the blame trade games.
Though, suggesting ‘Burdens on Muslims’ will be a better caption to Kila’s essay titled ‘The Burden of Islam’, I cannot do but to agree with Kila’s submission. Muslims must know there is a burden on them. There is a burden of re-educating and re-orientating, an assignment of renaissance consciousness of enhancing our emotional intelligence. We cannot be responding violently to provocation either in the name of blasphemy or injustice. The buccaneers and vampires among us: from Al-Shabab in Somalia, all franchises and network of Al-Qaeda globally, our own dreadful Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria to the self-determining secessionists like Moro Front in Southern Philippine, the local militant group of Narathiwar in Southern Thailand, Tuareg rebels in Northern Mali should spare us this shame. Your political interest and economy-driven struggle should be pursued without hanging on the name of Islam what so ever. Abu Aaliyah has put it so aptly that “Terrorism is to Jihad as Adultery is to Marriage”. I am not of the training to delve into issues of core Islamic Jurisprudence, but those who wish to know so as to ascertain the thin line could link it up here.
As the horrific and sadistic Woolwich killing came in, the most embarrassing and utter display of effrontery is the reactionary conspiracy theory that intend to disregard and falsify that an insane walking stock has dragged our identity once again in mud. In spite of the fact that this claim did not emanate from UK-based Muslims, but the rate at which folks in Nigeria are sharing and referring to Femi Fani-Kayode’s Illuminati-linked conspiracy is not only disappointing, it further tells the extent at which we have allowed emotional attachment to our faith to veil our reasoning arsenal. Those who know FFK’s public commentaries’ history will not deny the fact that he is lost in the wilderness of metaphysics, mysticism and mythology. I was expecting the same bashing he received when he said Obama is an anti-Christ, and thus responsible for the experience of hurricane disaster in the United States, but the different reaction to similar illogical submission shows how dependent minded our reasoning have become. We need to ask cogent questions as reliability tests for these claims: even if the killing that was not denied by members of the murderer’s family and the Britain Muslims’ community was stage-managed, were Michael’s participation in protests, previous encounter with police, his travelling to Kenya expected as en route to Somalia stage managed? Such cheap and feeble conspiratorial theories can only sell to those who have allowed sentiment to paddle their cerebral boat. This conspiracy theory is an illusion!!
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That is that as it is. If we will not be suffering from reasoning and judgemental amnesia, we have to look critically, we owe our conscience the need to view in holistic, the cause and effect forces that are interplaying in this much touted terrorism, terrorists and war on terror. Sanusi Lamido and Bill Clinton must be judging with economy specificity when they thinly analyzed and linked Nigeria’s religious crisis to deprivation, poverty and unemployment. This submission is too shallow to proffer lasting solution to the country’s socio-economic life that had been short-changed with killing, maiming and destruction of property.
In June, 2012, I conceptualised the nation’s religious crisis into a researchable model, where I elicited religious misconception, religious mal-admonishment and religious bigotry as dependent variables that cause religious crisis (Independent variable). Though, I created a link from religious mal-admonishment to religious misconception, religious bigotry is a trait that is naturally developed by some social extraneous variables like arrogance, egocentrism and unhealthy rivalry. It is on this note, I supported and still supporting Religious speech censorship. Hate preaching that is capable of inciting violence should be outlawed, and defaulters must be severely punished. There is always a price for peace.
On the other hand, I elicited perceived injustice, poverty, education and political plot as moderating variables. If not for poverty and lack of education, the demented brains called Boko Haram would not have found such fertile land of recruiting their foot soldiers. Reports in the media now and before showed that many of these so-called Jihadists are after pecuniary advantages. My personal encounters with Somalians, Yemenis and Iraqis have further cemented this opinion that materialism is always the next driving force when brainwashing falls unsuccessfully.
We cannot erode perceived injustice and political plot in this causal framework. The self-confession made by Hillary Clinton that the ‘Mujahideen’ are created by them in this video is just one out of numerous accounts that have implicated the Western world in the woes of these troubling countries. CIA and the Third world: A Study in Cryptodiplomacy by Satish Kumar and The Third World Calamities by May Brian are few of the good reads for those who want to know how the grip of the western imperialists’ forces work. Just as I have argued in some of my writings, there is possibility of being used and thinking you are still on just own self-defined struggle, not knowing it is serving the purpose of some invincible and invisible hands. These hands are controlling the press, and the discrimination in news reportage is certainly one of the perceived injustices.
Perceived injustices or injustices concretely cannot be downplayed as a factor fuelling religious crisis. The double standard in the public appraisal, the stereotypic handling and stigmatization of Muslims are second to none: from the press to how the public see issues that affect them. The cold reception that greeted the genocide of about 2,500 Bangladeshi Muslims and thousands Rohiggya Muslims massacred by the Buddhists cannibals is a pointer to this selective condemnation.
We cannot be sincere and serious about ending religious crisis while injustice still prevails. Invasion of sovereign countries to unseat legitimate governments because of flimsy and non-existing excuses have been a tool of igniting the zeal of Islamism. The occupation by the western imperialist forces, raping women, killing children and looting their treasury are enough to whim sympathy and subsequently enhance suicide bombers’ recruitment. It will be a mere lip service in our quest for peaceful co-existence if this conundrum is not given a holistic assessment and full fledge medication. Peace is not the absence of war, but the presence of justice.
Having said this, to say the war on terror has become the war of terror is not off track. It will only be joining those voices that have been able to see beyond their noses. Glenn Greenwald reported Michael Moore to have said that: “I am outraged that we can't kill people in other counties without them trying to kill us!”. Following the link will certainly inform any discerning readers that U.S and allies are imperialists who are only interested in subjugating the economic might of the countries invaded. However, the so-called ‘Mujahideen’ in their arrogant claiming of the September 9/11, 2001 WTC bombing has made the continuous invasion a justifiable acts in the eyes of the majority. The influence of press in this regard, cannot be under-estimated.
In as much as sane minds must condemn the Woolwich killing in strong terms and discard any attempt by conspiracy theorists to make it a hoax, ending religious crisis or religion-induced killing must be apprehended within the comprehensive framework as suggested. Muslims must intensify their efforts in re-presenting the ideals of Islam that is devoid of emotional laxity. The public must be wary of taking sides hastily going by what they are fed with by the media. The bell of justice has neither relative nor families; it must be rung where injustice is found. Doing this is the only way to deter the
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