RE: HIJAB: MUSLIMS AGAINST MUSLIMS. by Femi Abass

REPLY TO
HIJAB: MUSLIMS AGAINST MUSLIMS
By Femi Abass 

A MUST READ
www.tariqqco.blogspot.com


BUHARI, MUSLIMS AND THE TRAGEDY OF VICTORY

Base on the promise made by TCN to present a comprehensive reply to Br Femi Abass's disappointing write up published by The Nation Newspaper on Friday 8th January 2016.

 After the TCN comment terming Bro Femi Abass as "Lunatic" we received lots of calls telling us the word is extremely harsh looking at his status and contribution with MUSWEN,NSCIA etc, while some said he said he is more that. We want to apologize to our followers who felt it was to harsh to use such word, and we have been trying to make contact with Brother Femi Abass but its still abortive as of now.

Nonetheless, we must also say that he got it wrong with such publication and we have this to share as a response.


**PREAMBLE**

Unarguably, deceit thrives more than controversy in Nigeria. The reason is not far-fetched. Its not only because of the plurality in tribe and religion but as a result of fourth columnists and opinion leaders whom out of their dogmatic support for a cause or people hide truth, bury religious facts and commit philosophical errors amounting to fallacy. Many people mistakenly fall for the positions of these opinion leaders forgetting that not all facts are truth. Aside from deceit, through the mixture of philosophy, politics and religion, we seem to be more divided religiously than in any other realm. Why should Muslims accept ban on Hijab and what is the cause of the unfortunate debate in the religious circle currently.

**FG, TERORRISM AND THE CURRENT CONTROVERSY**

We live in an age where the loss of innocent lives have become commonplace. Such is the all-pervasive nature of indiscriminate violence, that terrorism is considered as one of the prime threats to peace and security in our society. In Nigeria, Boko Haram have killed so many lives using different strategies, including concealing bombs behind phones, handbags, suits, military/police uniforms and religious garments.

The attacks are not, however, limited to market places, banks, airport, schools and public places but also mosques and churches.

This has rightly or wrongly made Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) suggested that countries disturbed by terrorism should ban use of HIjab, a key method which the Nigerian Government is considering and confirmed through a tacit mention by the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari during his maiden media chat.

While many Muslims rejected the move, a few others supported the comment. One of whom is Femi Abass, a columnist with The Nation Newspaper, who wrote in his article titled, ‘Hijab: Muslims against Muslims’ that, “Banning hijab is not the same as banning the practice of Islam. Life is sacred. And to worship, one needs to be alive.”

**HIJAB BAN PROPOSAL AND IMPLICATION**

Premising ones support for Hijab ban because it is a proposal from ECOWAS amounts to insensitivity on the discouraging roles of the United Nations in the travails of Islamic countries, especially Palestine. If sincerity must come to fore, no one would accept that the recommendation by ECOWAS will fit in for Nigeria like other countries (Niger Republic, Chad and Cameroon) who have banned Hijab and recorded significant success in their fight against terrorism. Also, One will, without bias, need to accept that the recommendation did not consider how the Nigerian government has ill-equipped soldiers and diverted Arms Fund to the tune of $2.1 (N420 billion- calculated to be 70% of Lagos State 2016 budget, one and half times Kano State budget and 1.3 times the budget of river states. Lagos, Rivers and Kano have the highest budget for 2016).
Those supporting the move to ban Hijab should kindly go and tell their pay-masters (if any) and those using them to survey public opinion that the Hijab ban proposal is at present rejected and can only become debatable when the Nigeria military are properly trained, well equipped with modern weapons of war and not sentenced to death for unjust reasons.
The myopic and sense-slaughtering proposal will not just canvass more sympathy for the terrorists by residents of the affected areas through further division as it is currently doing, but would worsen the insecurity and immorality in Nigeria if proper measures are not at first put in place to stop similar dubious occurrence like ‘Dasukigate’ that resulted to the denial of access to life for over 25, 000 Nigerians and made two million others lose their homes, livelihood and future to become refugee.

While pledging total allegiance to only Allah (SWT), it will be unjustifiable to go against the position of some esteemed Islamic organisations that promptly rejected the supposed lips-paying proposal by PMB that ‘FG may consider banning Hijab, 'if Boko Haram attacks persist’ as recommended by ECOWAS.
However, the Islamic Organisations may truly need to soft-pedal and attend meetings focused at deliberating on ban proposal (to stop terrorist attacks) ONLY when the Muslims clamouring for Hijab ban and the recognised leader of Muslims in Nigeria, Sultan of Sokoto, including all the leaders of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) can present all their wives and daughters in public without (them) wearing Hijab; the military are well equipped and the sabotages witnessed among government officials in the fight against terrorism.

**BUHARI'S EMERGENCE AND TRAGEDY OF VICTORY**

Why should anyone or a group of people believe that they unilaterally worked for the emergence of President Muhammad Buhari? No individual has more than a vote, only influence varies. Muslims should not be made to regret their action of voting Buhari during the last election. It is hopeful that fear among some Muslims that tragedy may end their earlier song of victory will not come to reality. Although, Buhari is a Muslim, we should not be quick to forget that he is not just the Muslims leader because Nigeria is a multi-religious country.
It is worrisome to see that many Muslim leaders are now dogmatic and supporting unnecessary, no longer critical about the activities of the current administration for reasons best known to them. They have suddenly turned to praise singer of PMB and now support actions that they would have hitherto rejected under Goodluck Jonathan's regime. Take for instance; if it was GEJ that threatened to ban Hijab, will this be the position of many Muslim leaders, both those that have aired their unfavourable position and the ones that kept quiet in this period of visible oppression?

**CONLUSION**
It is one-sided and doctored argument that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) did not in a year go to Hajj for the purpose of peace and as a sign to show that human lives is more important than an act of worship. If one would want to rest on that side of argument sited from Siroh, it may mean that many Nigerians and pilgrims from different countries should have stopped going to Hajj because of stampede that usually occur there. Also, saying that "banning hijab is not the same as banning the practice of Islam. Life is sacred to worship, one needs to be alive", is vague. Does it mean that even if the Government demolish all the mosques, ban Jumaat, and sawn during Ramadan it is right because the government 'has not banned Islam'? As a language student, I can comfortably say that the tittle of the artice itself (Hijab ban: Muslims against Muslims) suggested that the allegation that terrorists are Muslims or on an Islamic mission is considerable, when it is actually not.
Our scholars need to be guided and not sided on this matter. While Hijab is expected to be worn every day, Hajj is only compulsory once in a life time and for those who have the capacity. I don't want to believe that some Islamic opinion leaders are aligning with some forces hostile to Islam by causing psychological war against the Muslims to make us lose hope for a better tomorrow and faith in a brighter future.
Brothers and sisters in Islam, this is a furious campaign that has been flared, motivated by fevered hearts, led by hired pens and subjugated spokesmen to condemn, blemish and distort all that is Islamic. Therefore, we have to resist such antagonistic campaigns with a counter weapon, that is by spreading the hope for the ultimate victory of Islam, reviving faith in its future, and saturating the souls of the future generation with a ray that dispels the darkness of despair and the fogs of frustration.

By SODIQ OYELEKE
For TariQQ Consult Nigeria