(60): The Rise of Perverted Ideologies among Us

Muhsin Ibrahim

@muhsin234

First, I use the word "ideology" in its broader sense to include 'non-ideological' thoughts like agnosticism and atheism. These two are equally eerily on the rise amidst our people. It's chilling, to say the least, reading a typical Hausa man denying the existence of, and cursing, Allah and His beloved Prophet. The case of one Mubarak Bala has recently made headlines. There are several others who have just yet to ‘come out of the closet’, or have not got the guts he gets to declare their new found ‘religion’ to the public. This is largely, as I think, the failing of our Islamic scholars for not widening the scope of their preaching to the contemporary, and very troubling issues such as atheism. They concentrate their efforts to Sunnah vs. Shi’an; or Sunnah vs. Dariqah (Sufism), or the like. Agnosticism and atheism pose a rather an existentialist threat to all religions, not just Islam.

The wars in Syria and Iraq, and the emergence of ISIS, Boko Haram and other bloodsucking so-called Jihadist groups, on the other hand, have exposed a lot of ideologues, particularly on the social media. While some are sympathetic towards those perverts' militancy and activism, others are not. The degree of the support or the opposition varies to the extent it, perhaps unknown to those supporters or detractors, often discloses their hidden ideology.

To be blunt, I am what you may call a WAHHABIST, though a misnomer, but that's it. I however hate those murderers as I hate my death. I am 100% sure that they are aberration of Islam; my writings published on this blog and elsewhere are living proofs. Second, I maybe their victim as anyone else, for to them, it is: “with us or against us”. It is only when you carry weapon and start maiming, plundering and raping that will admit you into their circle. I am apparently very unlike that, and, in sha Allah, cannot be. Those people even slew some of our scholars: Sheikh Ja'afar Mahmud Adam, Albani (Zaria), etc. So, there's no association between us save what some ignorant people create.

It’s more disheartening as many others increasingly reveal themselves as SHI'ITES. But for their ideologically-encouraged and supported deception (Taqiyya), majority of them hide under the facade of neutrality and disparage Sunnis, or Wahhabists, if you like, defend everything the Assad regime does in Syria, back everything Iranian and disparage everything Saudi Arabian, etc. I personally detest double-standard as I do a thief. That’s why I admire the candor of a Shi’ite youngman named Aliyu Smith. Although he’s what he’s, we still remain ‘friends’ on Facebook and respect each other.

Sincerely, our future doesn't look bright the same way the Middle East's. Tolerance, cosmopolitanism and respect for one another are slowly but surely dying. They started from this, and now they are where they are: sharply divided along ideological lines, killing one another daily. I hope and pray we don't become like that. We are first of all humans, and then whatsoever way of life one chooses to follow. I wish I had my way to make everyone follow the path of the Rasool (S.A.W) and his trusted companions (R.A). Islam enjoins us to correct wrongdoing in any of these three ways: (i) by hands (instituted authorities do that); (ii) by words of mouth (which I do) and, (iii) or to feel sad about it, which is the weakest of the trio options (I also do that).

I call on parents and all to be more wary of who their kids and younger ones interact with on the social media, and what they read on the Internet. The mention of the perverted ideologies is not exhausted. We recently had a devastating experience in Kano when a renegade of Tijjaniyya (a Sufi sect) openly cursed the Noble Prophet, Muhammad (S.A.W). Thus, the vigilance has to go beyond online. We should also be tirelessly prayerful. May Allah guide us all to the straight path, amin.