Opinions

Musa Abubakar, Abuja The year 2020 has been a hellish, thorny, and awful year for our country. The novel health crisis – COVID-19 pandemic – has taken over 1,221 lives and still counting. Followed by a disastrous and burdensome economy that has wrecked millions of small businesses and jobs in the country. The year has also witnessed politicization, corruption, and deceptions surrounding the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The mysterious revelations about how COVID-19 funds were diverted for other purposes were abstruse. The aftermath of the famous #endsarprotest exposed how palliatives and survival funds were hoarded and embezzled by government officials in charge of the palliative across the country. The manner in which people began to burgled shops and business enterprises in search of palliatives (like goldfields) revealed the stealing and criminal tendencies in some people. But companies,  businesses, and private individuals weren’t left out. They all take advantage of the pandemic by devilishly and unnecessarily increasing the prices of goods and services during and after the lockdown; which made life difficult for fellow Nigerians. The education sector is dreadfully affected by the pandemic when schools were closed nationwide to curtails the spread of the monster virus. There come the punishing and painful ASUU strike that has been ongoing even before the outbreak of the virus. The Nigerian students were at the mercy of inaction and dawdle government response to ASUU demand. The faith of Nigerian students is still hanging on thread till now 8 months after the strike. However, religious organizations- people of faith, different faith, and no faith weren’t left out of the painful impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. All religious places of worship were closed down which, at least, this generation and for centuries have never witnessed nor imagined. The effect was a bit hard to comprehend for the Muslims around the world when it came to the holy month of Ramadan. The religious practices associated primarily with Ramadan were constrained. Muslims couldn’t visit the mosques as usual during the holy month, Jumu’ah prayer, Taraweeh, Eid, Tahajud, Itikaf, Tafsir ul Qur’an, kulu Jami’an or get-togethers were all constrained to be said, albeit, at home as a result of the notorious virus. Ditto for Christians’ Mass and Easter festival. Here comes the famous but controversial  #endsarsprotest that demanded an end to police brutality, but the scope of which was later widened too much more demands, such as #endbadgovernance that degenerated to fiddly and debatable Lekki ‘massacre’; when many lives of protesters were reportedly lost in shooting by the Nigeria army. Sadly, criminals, bandits, kidnappers, and terrorists may be said to have taken over the affairs of our nation technically, on a serious note, with the rate they are killing people at will. The recent killing of rice farmers in the northeast and a monarch -Oba of Ifon, a town in southwestern Nigeria – who was shot to death while traveling from Owo to Ifon by unknown gunmen, are all still fresh in our memory. The turbulent year has equally witnessed numerous insecurities, ranging from life to property and food, etc. Food insecurity was caused by majorly due to the activities of the bandits, Fulani herdsmen, and Boko Haram. Nigeria is now one of, if not, the most terrorized nation on earth. The strenuous but not surprising recession news in early November has been grinding and hitting hard on people in the country. Yet we still have a few weeks to go before the year ends. Let’s work harder, hope, and pray for a positive and better year come 2021 for our beloved country. These challenges, hustling, struggles, and hardship make it hard to remain united as a nation. But at this critical time, we need to remember the blessings of God in our lives and our country, hence be grateful to Him. In this demanding time of the year, I urge Nigerians to reflect that, whereas we can’t change what has happened, we can work together with love and compassion to push for a more just and fair future for our country. As verses 5 and 6 of Chapter 94 of the Holy Qur’an assure, “There is ease after hardship; surely, there is ease after hardship.”

Al-Hafiz Yunus Omotayo If Muhammad, the Messenger of Allāh (peace and blessings of Allāh be on him) had been sent to personify the mercy of Allah to mankind (Qur’an, 21:108), the Holy Qur’an is indeed the ever-living proof of that mercy (Qur’an, 4:175). More interestingly, by applying the same criteria by which the American Historian, Michael H. Hart had so ranked our Holy Prophet (saw) as the first of the 100 Most Influential Men in History, we may as well go a little further to rank the Holy Qur’an as the Most Influential Book of all the scriptures and books in the world. For, if Muhammad (saw), the body, had so influenced humanity, it is the Qur’an, the soul, which had first influenced Muhammad (saw); and, if he is the action, it is the teaching, the substance. Hence, speaking about the Holy Qur’an, Goethe, the greatest of German poets, declared: “This book will go on exercising through all ages a most potent influence. (www.alislam.org, The Al Islam e-Gazette, Friday, August 3, 2007, p. 10) Allah the Omniscient Himself sufficiently bears witness through the treasures of the Holy Qur’an as a proof of its divine origin; even the Angels all attest to this fact. (Qur’an, 4:167). Muhammad (saw) the Prophet of power and glory, in a Hadith reported by At-Tirmidhi, describes the Holy Qur’an as the strongest Rope of Allah (Habluhu al-Mateen), His Clearest Light (Nuruhu al-Mubeen), All-Beneficial Cure (Shifa’uhu an-Nafi), and a means of protection (‘Ismah) and salvation (Najah) for its upholders. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad,(as) the Imam of the Age, was also blessed with a revelation which declares: “Al-Khairu kulluhū fil-Quran”, i.e., all kinds of good lies in the substance (Ahmad, Mirza Ghulam, Our Teaching, Islam International Publications Limited, UK, p. 17) The above perhaps establish the reason why Allah gloriously eulogizes Himself thus: “All praise belongs to Allah Who has sent down the Book to His Servant and has not put therein any crookedness.” (Qur’an,18:20). In the light of the above, the exigency of the revelation of the Holy Qur’an is asserted as the Divine Book whose teachings, doctrines and principles must be believed in, and submitted to, by man; whose divine text must be continuously taught, learnt, read and oft-recited by all and sundry; whose literal words must be recorded intact, committed to memory and preserved by Muslims; and most significantly, whose injunctions,  message, philosophy, and ideology must be obeyed, imbibed, practiced and propagated. This is therefore the reason why it has received more attention by believers and detractors alike. According to Abdullah Yusuf Ali: “ There is no book in the world in whose service so much talent, so much labour, so much time and money have been expended as has been the case with the Holy Qur’an (3) Indeed, no other scripture has been patronized by men of letters, philosophers, philologists, sociologists and political analysts as the Qur’an. (Ali, Abdullah Yusuf, The Holy Quran English Translation of the Meaning and Commentary, Introduction (Commentaries of the Quran) Excerpt from: Memorization of the Holy Quran – Merits and Methods, by Al-Hafiz Yunus Omotayo (2013)

By Al-Hafiz Yunus Omotayo The enterprise of peddling propaganda or fabrication or misrepresentation or misinformation or a combination of them all against the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community by some self-appointed ‘gate-keepers’ of Islam among the mainstream Muslim scholars has been an age-long trend. Their main objective has invariably been to distance the uninformed or ill-informed Muslim public, in particular, from discovering and embracing this divine community of Muslims whose fundamental mission is to revivify the Islamic faith and practice that have suffered adulteration at the hands of the so-called Muslim scholars. Emphatically, Ahmadiyya has the overarching objective of reaffirming, restating and reinstating both the lost Islamic orthodoxy and orthopraxy through its concerted global missionary organization, under the guidance of its worldwide Supreme Head – the Khalifah. Of course, while the over thirteen-decade-history of Ahmadiyya had continuously witnessed viral spread of coordinated and systematic propaganda and opposition against it, it is worthwhile to note that their spread has always come with concomitant viral spread and embracement of the message of Ahmadiyya across the world. Hence, today, Ahmadiyya continues to grow and glow with tens of millions of memberships spread across over 220 countries and territories. An instance of such anti-Ahmadiyya campaigns which this piece seeks to refute is an anonymous write-up that has gone viral in recent time. It is titled AHMADIYYA ARE NOT MUSLIMS. In exposing the vicious propaganda by the writer, this piece adopts a point-by-point rejoinder format that first reproduces each of their misrepresentations and then straightforwardly deconstructs and reconstructs them with correct representation of facts about Ahmadiyya and its founder, beliefs, practices and history. ANTI-AHMADIYYA MISREPRESENTATION: AHMADIYAH ARE NOT MUSLIMS CORRECT REPRESENTATION: AHMADIS ARE MUSLIMS because they profess the Islamic credo: There is no God but Allah and Muhammad (saw) is His Servant and Messenger. They uphold the Islamic fundamental belief in Allah, the Angels, the revealed Scriptures, Divine Messengers and the Last Day and observe the Islamic Salat, Zakat, Fasting and Hajj as prescribed. The Holy Prophet said: Whoso observes our Salat, faces our Qiblah and eats our Islamically slaughtered animal, is a Muslim (Sahih Bukhari). ANTI-AHMADIYYA MISREPRESENTATION: In the Name of Allāh: Read and Share for the sake Of Allāh, Protect your Friend, brother, Sister, Parents From the poison of Qadianis. CORRECT REPRESENTATION: In the Name of Allāh: read and share for the sake of Allāh, guide your friend, brother, sister, parents to the truth and blessings of Ahmadiyya as distinct from the fabrications of its opponents. INTRODUCTION ANTI-AHMADIYYA MISREPRESENTATION: Ahmadiyyah, also known as Ahmadis or Qadianis is a Movement Founded in Punjab- British India at the end of 19th Century by a Man Called Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908). The Movement is directly or indirectly sponsored by Britain as it will be explained fully below. CORRECT REPRESENTATION: Ahmadiyyah, the members of which are known as Ahmadi Muslims (but incorrectly and derogatorily called Qadianis by the opponents) is an Islamic revivalist movement founded (based on divine guidance and in fulfilment of Quranic and Prophetic prophecies) in Punjab – British India – about a decade toward the end of 19th Century by a man called Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) (1835-1908). The Movement is NOT directly or indirectly sponsored by Britain. In truth, several available evidences and facts strongly and conclusively prove that Ahmadiyya could never have been an agent of the British Government. Notably, at the time when India was under the yoke of the British colonial rule and Muslims, in particular, were being awed by the mighty power of their colonial masters, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is found to be the only champion of Islam of the age that wrote with courage two powerful epistles of Islam to the then Queen of England and Empress of India, Her Majesty, Queen Victoria. The first, titled Tohfa-e-Qaisariyyah [A Gift for the Queen], was written and published in 1897 on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty, while the second, Sitara-e-Qaisarah [Star of the Empress], was written on 20 August 1899 and published on 24 August, 1899. In the former, after making a faith-inspiring case for the unity of God and prophethood of Muhammad (saw) on the one hand, he went on, on the other hand, to vehemently decimate Christianity – the religion of the British – through a staunch rebuttal of the doctrines of Trinity, Atonement and sonship of Jesus. He concluded by boldly inviting Her Majesty to Islam and passionately prayed: O Almighty God! Thou art all Powerful, we beseech Thee that Thou mayest so turn the heart of our gracious Queen that she may give up all creature worship and see the light of Islam. Let her believe in the One God and His Messenger, Muhammad, till the end of her days.” Clearly, Ahmadiyya has ever been sponsored directly by Allah’s mighty grace and support through the dedicated religious struggle (Jihad) by, foremost, its Holy Founder and the successive Supreme worldwide Heads and members of the Community as it will be explained fully below. ……………………………To be continued!

By Frasat Ahmad, Missionary, USA. (Published in The Weekly Al-Hakam) Christmas has come. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, they say. The jolly atmosphere, the Christmas spirit, the love and the joy are infectious. What’s not to like! Why not join in and spread the Christmas cheer? Jesus(as) is highly revered in both Christianity and Islam, right? So what’s the harm in celebrating him? Christmas is a religious festivity celebrating the birth of a man whom Christians believe to be not only the son of God, but God Himself. Simply put, as Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV(rh) puts it, “It is a religious affair. As such, you should not celebrate it, because your religion is not Christianity; it is Islam.” (Children’s Class [programme on MTA], The Fazl Mosque, recorded 27 April 1991). Granted, but Christmas is still a cultural phenomenon. So, why can’t we participate in the cultural festivities of Christmas? Here are six reasons why Muslims – and Christians – should not celebrate Christmas, religiously or culturally. Allah the Almighty is very clear about this. On multiple occasions in the Holy Quran, He disassociates Himself from the notion that Jesus(as) is His son or that Jesus(as) shares a portion of His divinity. In fact, Allah the Almighty expresses abhorrence about this: یٰۤاَہۡلَ الۡکِتٰبِ لَا تَغۡلُوۡا فِیۡ دِیۡنِکُمۡ وَ لَا تَقُوۡلُوۡا عَلَی اللّٰہِ اِلَّا الۡحَقَّ ؕ اِنَّمَا الۡمَسِیۡحُ عِیۡسَی ابۡنُ مَرۡیَمَ رَسُوۡلُ اللّٰہِ وَ کَلِمَتُہٗ ۚ اَلۡقٰہَاۤ اِلٰی مَرۡیَمَ وَ رُوۡحٌ مِّنۡہُ ۫ فَاٰمِنُوۡا بِاللّٰہِ وَ رُسُلِہٖ ۚ۟ وَ لَا تَقُوۡلُوۡا ثَلٰثَۃٌ ؕ اِنۡتَہُوۡا خَیۡرًا لَّکُمۡ ؕ اِنَّمَا اللّٰہُ اِلٰہٌ وَّاحِدٌ ؕ سُبۡحٰنَہٗۤ اَنۡ یَّکُوۡنَ لَہٗ وَلَدٌ ۘ لَہٗ مَا فِی السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ مَا فِی الۡاَرۡضِ ؕ وَ کَفٰی بِاللّٰہِ وَکِیۡلًا “O people of the Book, do not exceed the limits in your religion, and do not say anything except the truth about Allah. Verily, the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only a Messenger of Allah and a fulfilment of His word which He sent down to Mary, and a mercy from him. So believe in Allah and His Messengers and do not say, ‘They are three.’ Desist, it will be better for you. Verily, Allah is the only One God. Far is it from His Holiness that he should have a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. And sufficient is Allah as a Guardian.” (Surah al-Nisa, Ch.4: V.172) وَّ اَنَّہٗ تَعٰلٰی جَدُّ رَبِّنَا مَا اتَّخَذَ صَاحِبَۃً وَّ لَا وَلَدًا “The Majesty of our Lord is exalted. He has taken neither wife nor son unto Himself.” (Surah al-Jinn, Ch.72: V.4) Jesus(as) also plainly explains that he was not the literal son of God or God himself, but rather the epithet was used as a symbolic term of endearment for him. We read in John 10:31-36: “The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus replied to them, ‘I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?’ The Jews answered Him, ‘We are not stoning You for a good work, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Has it not been written in your Law: ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be nullified), are you saying of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?” Here, Jesus(as) explicitly details that all messengers of God, upon whom the word of God came, are considered godly in a symbolic sense. Romans 8:14 demonstrates that this same symbolism was used for the term “son of god.” We read, “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” “Christmas is really about bringing out your inner pagan,” says historian Kenneth C Davis. (The unexpected origins of popular Christmas traditions, CBS News). The Gospels make no mention at all of the date of Jesus’ birth and early Christians were not at all interested in the birth of Jesus(as). It was only three centuries after Jesus’ birth, when Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, that Christmas was first celebrated. Even then, it was not widely celebrated. Christmas only became popular in 800 CE, when Charlemagne was crowned emperor of the Roman Empire on Christmas Day. (The Origins of Christmas: Pagan Rites, Drunken Revels and More, Newsweek). In order to make Christianity more palatable to pagans, early Christian church leaders assimilated pagan traditions into their Christmas festivities (Gerd Schwerhoff, “Festivals”, in: Brill’s Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages). As German historian Wolfgang Behringer writes, “Christmas, the festival of the ‘birthday of the Lord’, has been celebrated on December 25 since 354, probably in order to suppress the birthday festival of the pagan god Sol Invictus (the Unconquered Sun).” (Behringer, Wolfgang, “Christmas”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online) Centuries before the birth of Jesus(as), pagan Europeans celebrated the winter solstice, rejoicing in the arrival of longer days and extended sunlight. In Scandinavia, the Norse people celebrated Yule, the winter solstice, where fathers and son would bring home large logs and trees, which they would set on fire to keep them warm. Romans would celebrate the birthday of Mithra, their sun-god, on December 25. Mithra’s birthday was considered the most sacred day of the year. (History of Christmas, History Channel) Scottish anthropologist Sir James George Frazer unravels and explains the uncanny similarities between pagan traditions and Christmas. He writes: “It was a custom of the heathen to celebrate on the same twenty-fifth of December the birthday of the Sun, at which they kindled lights in token of festivity. In these solemnities and festivities the Christians also took part. Accordingly when the doctors of the Church perceived that the Christians had a leaning to this festival, they took counsel and resolved that the true Nativity should be solemnised on that