THE NATIONAL CHIEF IMAM ON A RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE TEST?

By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese
(0244198031).

I bring to you the usual Islamic greetings “Salam Alaikum”. May Allah’s blessings and peace be upon us all. May Allah forgive us for our inadequacies. May we be guided by the word of God and not by man’s dictates.

Just a quick reminder; I am writing this not as an Islamic scholar, but just an ordinary-moderate-practicing Muslim. Religion they say and believe is complex, but complex not because of its spiritual underpinnings but out of the creation of man due to greed and the quest to exploit the ignorance of another man. This is a personal observation and not a widely held opinion based on research. So take note!

Before the advent of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula, there were several faiths including, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Polytheists and even those who believed in nothing. And when Islam began to spread especially after the migration of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) from Mecca to Yathrib (Madina), these faiths were never denounced but rather accommodated and recognized as a whole part of religious life in Madina where Islam became a formal state. So according to Islamic Scholars and Historians, when the first constitution “Saheeha”was promulgated guided by the precepts of Islam to regulate life and property in Madina, all the existing faiths were duly recognized and protected. In fact, the first article in this constitution captured it clearly-“....one nation to the exclusion of all others...” The extended portions of this constitution sets a clear path as to how the Jews and other faiths were to be protected-“....To the Jews who follow us belong, we should help and treat them with equity. He(Jew) shall not be harmed nor his enemies be protected.” To this, any attack on other religions or tribe was considered an attack on Islam and by extension the state. That was why the Jews were allowed to have their own school called Bait-ul-Midras where they recited the “Torah”, worshipped and taught themselves. So when did Islam/Muslims start to discriminate against “the people of the book” as they were referred to by the early scholars?

Allah Almighty in His wisdom admonished Mankind not to force belief systems on one another. That is why he said in the Holy Quran 2:256...”there is no compulsion in religion.” The “tafsir” (further and better particulars) of this verse give meaning to religious plurality on the surface of this earth and thereby give the rights to individuals to choose the path which they believe to be true. Religion is not to be, and was never, forced upon against individuals against their will. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) therefore left his life as both a religious and political leader to uphold these tenets in order to give effect to the above verse.

By the above narratives, I dare ask these simple questions, has the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Nuhu Sharabutu committed “shrik” (an unpardonable sin) when he attended upon a church to interact with them? Could he ever be wrong for praying with his fellow Christians? Before I attempt some answers to these questions, let me quote this Hadith to give some background and effect to my answers...”The Prophet (PBUH) said: Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be an extremist, but try to be near perfection and receive the good tidings that will be rewarded”. Sahih Bukhari Vol. 1, Book 2, No. 38.

The above Hadith simply teaches us the simplicity in Islam and condemns religious extremists who go extra beyond the very dictates of the religion to harm others and pass judgment on colleague Muslims without any justification. I read on social media the unwarranted attacks on the Chief Imam and the straight forward judgement from colleague Muslims for worshipping with Christians. What is his crime? Don’t Christians sit with us in our mosques anytime we have our weddings (Nikka)? Don’t they sit and listen to our sermons which sometimes speak against their beliefs? What is the difference?

To the extent that the Old Man never made any “intention
” to believe in the dictates of Christianity or the “Holy Trinity” thus: God the father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, he could have even knelt and allow a hand of the priest on his head to be prayed on without any sin recorded. Why do we accept that Christians or other people in other faiths raise their hands in prayer with us but we want to cry foul because we are asked to be in a mood of prayer as dictated by them (other faiths)?

As narrated on the authority of Amir-al-Mu’minin...[Actions are but by intentions and everyone will get what he intended...cont.]. This Hadith sets forth the relevance of “Niyat” (intention) in Islam. Many scholars intimate that, Niyat (intention) covers 1/3 of our worship. It is very imperative to note that, “Niyat” in Islam strikes the balance between the internal (inside one’s heart) and the external state of oneself. So the connection between action and intention highlights the connection between the physical and the spiritual components of any human. By these narrations, once the National Chief Imam never made any such intention that he was kneeling before a Priest to demonstrate his belief in the Holy Trinity which Muslims don’t believe in, then, there is no justifiable reason to speak against his action. His physical component which communicates with the world may resemble a Christian posture but his spiritual being communicates his Islamic belief with his Maker. So who are you to judge what you can’t see or feel?

So, what becomes of Pope Francis who on the 14th of April, 2017 prostrated himself in prayers during a solemn Good Friday service in St Peter’s Basilica? Did that make him a Muslim if even he never had any such intention to do as Muslims do and believe in? I read in the news a Pope ever kissing the feet of a Muslim Scholar...what about that?

Islam is not a complex religion, neither are Muslims commanded to be extremists. Any Muslim who wears a ring or chain with a cross symbolizing the crucifixion of Christ doesn’t necessarily make him/her a believer of the crucifixion of Christ or an automatic Muslim. Same way it is no sin (shrik) if one treats a headache by using the herbs from a native doctor if he/she doesn’t believe or intended to believe in his (native doctor) charms and gods but only believe there is medicine in herbs.

Why do Muslims find it difficult to live like the Holy Prophet did during His short stay on earth? Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) once sent a non-Muslim as an Ambassador to King Negus of Ethiopia (then Abyssinia). A Jew Monk from Persia, Salman Farsi,  ever advised the Muslim warriors and the Prophet to adopt a strategy (digging of a trench) in the third battle the Muslims fought with the Infidels of Mecca (The battle of Trench/Handaq). In fact, it was the suggestion of Salman Farsi to the Prophet to dig the Trench at the main entrance to Madina from Mecca. He later fought in this battle side-by-side as second in command to the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

Islamic Scholars and Historians have it that on one occasion, the Prophet (PBUH) received a delegation of sixty (60) Christians from the region of Najran, then part of Yemen, at his mosque. When it was time for prayers, they(visitors) faced the direction of the East and prayed. The Prophet (PBUH) ordered that they be left in their state and not harmed. This was the Messenger of Allah. Indeed the life of the Prophet (PBUH) is an epitome of religious tolerance and inclusiveness. He lived as he was directed by Allah and so any deviation from his life due to some extremist tendencies is a recipe for chaos, and chaos is one of the things Islam abhors.

I leave you with this letter the Holy Prophet (PBUH) addressed to his emissary on the fate of religious leaders of Saint Catherine in Mount Sinai who had sought protection of the Muslims:

“This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.  Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by God!  I hold out against anything that displeases them.  No compulsion is to be on them.  Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries.  No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses.  Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet.  Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.  No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight.  The Muslims are to fight for them.  If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval.  She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray.  Their churches are declared to be protected.  They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.  No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).”

PEACE!!!