(57): Between Adamu Adamu and Dr. Sani Rijiyar Lemo

Muhsin Ibrahim

@muhsin234

Lives were lost; people were wounded; minds were, and are, troubled; all as a result of the just concluded Hajj pilgrimage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Nobody could undo what's already done. Nothing could be done. Those victims need prayers and their loved ones require our compassion. No more, no less.

Nonetheless, a fierce argument has been raging on since then. It began like a drama, instigated mainly by the Shi'ite-Iran, blaming the Sunni-Saudis for EVERYTHING. The argument has come to our doors now.

Adamu Adamu is doubtlessly an intellectual, a writer par excellence. Dr. Sani is incontrovertibly equally an intellectual and a scholar worth every salt. They differ on this issue. The former, an unapologetic Shi'ite; the latter, a renowned Sunni scholar.

I will not pretend not being in the latter's camp. I am. Yet, I will not stop short at saying that none of them is OBJECTIVE in his submission, for that is practically impossible. They (we, in fact) are all subjective and see things from our ideologically premeditated mindsets.

Yet, I can't help agreeing more with Dr. Sani Rijiyar Lemo on, if not many things, one thing: the Saudis do not deserve the barrage of disparage being heaped at them. And, to sound fatalistic, no one could have avoided both accidents. Don't misunderstand me. They are not 100% blameless: their silly minister's comment on African pilgrims, etc. I have discussed this and more here.

Yet, again, human mind is set to see wrong more clearly and remember it more often. The good is barely seen. Nor easily recalled.  Else, the marvelous efforts the Saudis have been doing for years for successful Hajj shouldn't be reduced to only this year's, which is unfortunately fated with calamities.

And, please, let's quit the blame game and name calling and the like. Let's pray for Allah to prevent the recurrence of similar accidents. Thank you.