Ramadan: Feeding vs. Tafseer controversy

(Link on Daily Trust)

Unlike elsewhere, Ramadan season in Nigeria has unfortunately been turned into a season of unnecessary controversy. Starting from the recurrent controversy over the advent of the Ramadan crescent that ushers in the month and the exit of its moon that marks its end, the Ramadan period equally witnesses controversy over ideological, jurisprudential or political stances expressed by some Ulama in the course of their Qur’anic Tafseer sessions. 

Yet, over the past couple of years, there has been unnecessary controversy over which charitable deed between sponsoring the broadcast of Qur’anic Tafseer and charitable mass feeding for the needy is more worthwhile in Ramadan.  

As in other Muslim societies, Ramadan usually inspires a phenomenal rise in individual and societal spirituality in Nigeria where many wealthy individuals sponsor live or recorded broadcasts of Qur’anic Tafseer by various Ulama. Many others also spend more on charitable mass feeding for the poor. However, while almost, if not all, who sponsor the broadcast of Tafseer do also spend on charitable feeding, not all who spend on charitable feeding sponsor the broadcast of Tafseer. 

During Ramadan in a typical northern Nigerian city, television and radio stations make a killing with the sale of airtime for Tafseer and other religious lectures sponsored by individuals, firms and groups. From the sheer number of sponsored broadcasts of Tafseer and other religious lectures on the more than ten radio stations in Kano, for instance, one may wonder whether they do other programs in Ramadan. 

Now, while sponsoring Tafseer broadcast is absolutely worthwhile especially during Ramadan, the amount of resources spent in this regard might be disproportionate considering the desperate need for food that the largely hunger-stricken audience are languishing in. After all, given the choice, they would certainly choose food handouts over such sponsored broadcasts as public Tafseer sessions are everywhere during Ramadan for one to choose which to attend. 

Besides, looking at the underlying dynamics and politics of sponsoring Ramadan Tafseer broadcast, one cannot rule out Riyaa, sectarian and even political interests as some of the motives behind sponsoring the broadcast of some Tafseer and other religious lectures. 

Interestingly, while some sponsors compete in sponsoring the broadcast of Tafseer by some prominent Ulama, some Ulama sponsor the broadcast of their own Tafseer in the absence of a willing sponsor; others even beg for sponsors to sponsor theirs. Also, as the contents of some Tafseer and other religious lectures feature some serious flaws, sponsoring their broadcast is a gross misplacement of priority. Equally interesting also, others sponsor the broadcast of Adhan (Kiran Sallah) in a city like Kano where, thanks to the sheer proliferation of mosques, regular Adhan reaches every nook and cranny.   

Anyway, while Ikhlas is always the most fundamental yardstick that determines the worthwhileness or otherwise of both charitable feeding and the sponsoring of Ramadan Tafseer broadcast, striking an appropriate balance between the two guarantees the perfect outcome. Because as much as Ramadan is the month of the

Qur’an when Muslims are expected to be particularly committed to it in terms of reading, learning its meanings and living accordingly, it’s equally the month of generous charity when Muslims, particularly the wealthy, are expected to do much more in terms of charitable works especially mass feeding. 

However, while that’s simply the bottom line, which also explains why the controversy is absolutely unnecessary, the so-called liberal Muslims have blown it out of proportion. Capitalizing on public frustration amid the unbearable hunger ravaging the largest segment of the society, they question the worthwhileness and relevance of sponsoring the broadcast of Ramadan Tafseer under the prevailing circumstances. Also, feigning empathy and concern, they address the two charitable works as though are mutually exclusive and thus people should choose between them.  

Unsurprisingly, and under the pressure of the hard conditions, many people including many otherwise discerning folks fell for that propaganda not realizing its context, which is the raging face-off between the so-called liberal Muslims, on the one hand, who are hell-bent on undermining Islamic and moral values in the society, and the wholehearted Muslims, on the other, especially the Ulama among them who are committed to encouraging people to never neglect their religious commitments in pursuit of their legitimate worldly pursuits.

Also, contrary to their claim, such so-called liberal Muslims aren’t actually disturbed by the plight of the vulnerable, which explains why they never urge those spending huge resources on other things, no matter how absolutely worthless, to divert the resources to charitable courses. Likewise, they never urge that the massive amounts of resources their elite role models spend on maintaining their extravagant lifestyles should be diverted to the feeding of the poor or sheltering them. Instead, their “conscience” comes alive only when the resources are meant for, say, Hajj, Umrah, Da’awah etc. 

Nigeria-UAE travel face-off: who blinks first?

(Link on Daily Trust)

It all started when the United Arab Emirates (UAE) alleged that some Nigerian travellers to Dubai or passing through it in transit were presenting fake Covid-19 test results. 

Following the gradual resumption of regular international flights after the Covid-19-triggered disruption, a negative Covid-19 test result was made compulsory for international travels among other preventive measures aimed at containing the spread of the Covid-19 virus.  

Whether or not the UAE authorities had alerted their Nigerian counterparts over the fake Covid-19 test results, they unilaterally introduced an additional rapid test to all UAE-bound travellers from Nigeria before boarding and recognized its result regardless of any Covid-19 test result a traveller would present. 

Also, to ensure full control over the enforcement of the measure, and taking advantage of the Emirates monopoly of the Nigeria-Dubai direct flight route, the UAE banned all non-direct flights from Nigeria to Dubai thereby expanding the monopoly in the absence of any Nigerian competitor. Other airlines e.g. Egyptair and Ethiopian Airlines, which have to transit Cairo and Addis Ababa respectively before flying into Dubai were thus effectively excluded. 

With thousands of Nigerians travelling to Dubai or transiting it to catch connecting flights to their respective destinations in Europe, Australasia, the wider Asia and the Americas, the Nigeria-Dubai flight route is one of the lucrative routes for the Emirates. 

Anyway, the Nigerian authorities kicked against the UAE's unilateral measures. The UAE reacted by suspending all flights from Nigeria until, initially, the 28th February 2021, and banned travellers “who have been to or connected through Nigeria in the last 14 days” from visiting the UAE. 

Though talks ensued between the two parties, they couldn't resolve the issue as the face-off escalated with the UAE extending the ban to the 10th of March initially then to the 20th. However, when it appeared that the UAE authorities may not lift the suspension a few days to the date, the Nigerian authorities reacted by banning the Emirates passenger operations in Nigeria, which prompted the UAE’s indefinite suspension of all flights from Nigeria. This is regardless of its implications on the Emirates struggle to recover from the huge losses it, like other airlines, has incurred as a result of the international flight disruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  

Also, as things stand, Nigeria is equally incurring significant revenue losses, because the Nigeria-Dubai route and the Emirates are among the highest revenue-fetching sources for the government and other stakeholders in the aviation industry. 

Meanwhile, many people with various interests to pursue in the UAE have been rendered stranded. Interestingly, some folks desperate to travel to Dubai from Nigeria go to the extent of smuggling themselves into Ghana to avoid having their passports stamped with the Nigerian “exist” stamp. While in Ghana, they pay some unscrupulous individuals who somehow get their passports stamped with backdated forged Nigerian “exist” and Ghanaian “entry” stamps to indicate that they left Nigeria more than 14 days ago and are therefore eligible to travel to Dubai. 

Anyway, though Nigeria as a sovereign country has the right to reject the UAE’s unilateral introduction of the additional rapid Covid-19 test on UAE-bound travellers from Nigeria, it should look at the UAE’s allegation of the fake negative Covid-19 test results. 

After all, to be fair, it's an open secret that since the introduction of a negative Covid-19 test result as a requirement for international travels, the "business" of arranging forged negative test results has thrived in Abuja and Lagos. International travellers who either don't want to experience the “stress” of going for the test, or are Covid-19 positive, or simply feel too important to be tested part with a fortune to get laboratory-issued and genuine-looking forged negative Covid-19 test results. And with the connivance of some unscrupulous government personnel at Abuja and Lagos airports they get cleared to travel.

However, the UAE's unilateral introduction of an additional quick test on all Dubai-bound travellers from Nigeria has effectively ended that “business” at least on the Nigeria-Dubai route, which, of course, angered the beneficiaries. 

Now, the longer this face-off persists, the more it undermines the struggles of the aviation industry in both countries to recover from the unprecedented losses over the last year due to the Covid-19 lockdown and travel restrictions. 

Its persistence may even affect diplomatic relations between Abuja and Abu Dhabi in a time when the former needs the latter’s maximum cooperation in tackling the activities of some subversive Nigerian syndicates with their foreign collaborators engaged in facilitating Boko Haram financing, money-laundering and other financial crimes, through Dubai. 

It’s, therefore, in the interest of both countries to resolve this face-off through reciprocal compromise. The Nigeria government should stop feigning ignorance or denying the fact that fake negative Covid-19 results are being issued to willing outbound travellers from Nigeria, for a fortune. It should simply stop that practice and make the process of obtaining the result too transparent to be manipulated. 

However, the UAE shouldn’t have unilaterally introduced the controversial additional quick Covid-19 test in Nigeria in the first place; it should have done that in coordination with relevant Nigerian authorities. 

Relevant authorities in both countries should address the issue bilaterally to resolve this unnecessarily persistent travel face-off.  

Conspiracy confirmed

(Read on Daily Trust)

Over the past several years there have been verified reports about the involvement of sophisticated locally connected international syndicates in fuelling banditry, kidnapping and terrorism in northern Nigeria.

Many credible reports and eye witness accounts have, for instance, confirmed the operations of anonymous aircrafts dropping sacks of weapons to terrorists in the forest. Likewise, some supposedly humanitarian and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were on different occasions found undermining the war against the terrorists under various disguises. 

However, such reports have always been dismissed as conspiracy theories by the authorities and many public commentators.

By the way, while excessive tendency to look at developments and events in a conspiracy context does suggest a simplistic understanding of issues, outright dismissal of it even in the face of facts and circumstantial evidence suggests intellectual inferiority complex, which some folks including some otherwise intelligent observers betray having fallen for the trendy narrative of denying the existence of conspiracy in the events of the modern world. Some of them also never hesitate to ridicule anyone alluding to it no matter the strength of his arguments.

Anyway, though the Nigerian authorities have always been aware of such subversive activities, they have not only been unable to tackle the situation but have also been reluctant to openly acknowledge its existence. Also, though there have been instances where some government agencies have complained over some suspicious activities by some of such NGOs, which were at some points even suspended, the issues would always be somehow “resolved” and the NGOs would always have their ways and carry on their activities.

However, even though realistically speaking, the Nigerian authorities cannot be completely excused, they are, to a large extent, admittedly helpless in the face of the hugely powerful interests profiting from the persistence of terrorism and banditry in the region. Besides, the authorities have limited diplomatic influence and competence to handle the intricate underlying politics of such security challenges.

This is in addition to the country’s very limited capabilities in terms of airspace monitoring and reconnaissance that keep it unable to detect such aircrafts. After all, even sophisticated airspace monitoring systems get compromised by, say, spy or criminal syndicates’ aircrafts. For instance, international drug-trafficking syndicates in Latin America manage on many occasions to beat the US airspace monitoring system, which is the world’s most advanced, by flying too low and below radar coverage altitude into the US airspace and deliver drug consignments into its territory undetected. Also, the US itself and many countries conduct similar operations in other countries for espionage or special operations purposes.

Therefore, without necessarily excusing Nigeria’s failure to keep its airspace under control, it isn’t surprising that it (airspace) is being compromised that way.  

Now, the recent decision by the Nigerian authorities to declare Zamfara State as a no-fly- zone to tackle the subversive operations of aircrafts supplying weapons to terrorists and the suspension of gold mining activities in the whole state is long overdue yet not enough.

It’s a significant development now that the Nigerian authorities have openly acknowledged that there is indeed a conspiracy(s) frustrating the government’s efforts to end the terrorist insurgency and banditry in northern Nigeria. Also, though the syndicates behind the conspiracy are attracted by the massive gold resources in the area, other perhaps even more sinister motives cannot be ruled out.

The situation may also not be completely unconnected to a much more serious agenda(s) pursued by others elsewhere. The Nigerian authorities should follow through with further intelligence-based efforts to dig up and expose all interests pursued at the expense of the country’s stability, the parties behind it and other conflict profiteers undermining the efforts to bring an end to the situation.

That is relatively easier at the local level, for there are many individuals out there some of whom quite influential in their respective communities, who are believed to be linked to insurgents and bandits. However, for fear for their lives and safety, local people hardly report them, while local and power elites simply turn a blind eye for other selfish considerations. For instance, as much as the Zamfata State Governor, Bello Matawalle indicts some unnamed personalities for involvement in the abduction of the students of the Government Girls’ Junior Secondary School, Jangebe, his unwillingness to expose them or at least share the intelligence with relevant authorities makes him equally guilty. 

Whereas, exposing the external dimension of the conspiracy necessarily involves extensive and effective diplomatic engagements with not only regional countries but more importantly the major world players and major relevant international organizations. Besides, the country’s ability to secure enough commitment from those parties in this regard depends on the scope and effectiveness of its diplomacy.

Unfortunately, Nigeria’s diplomacy is at the moment too weak to achieve that; worse still, the authorities apparently haven't even realized the imperative of that strategy in the context of the struggle to end the insurgency in the country, in the first place. After all, even at the regional level (West Africa), Nigeria’s diplomatic weight is too insignificant compared to the size of its population, the size of its economy and its economic potential among many other things.

Negotiation with bandits: Between two Malams

 (Published in Daily Trust)

Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i, Malam Ahmad Gumi

Amid worries about the capability of the Nigerian military and other security agencies to end banditry in northwestern Nigeria, many observers including public commentators and religious clerics continue to propose alternative strategies.

A prominent Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Malam Dr Ahmad Gumi doesn’t only believe in the imperative of engaging the bandits in negotiations but has taken it further by reaching out to them. His initiative has been welcomed by many and dismissed by many others.

The Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasiru El-Rufa’i’s dismissal of Malam Dr Ahmad Gumi’s initiative triggered a clash of views between the two Malams. On the one hand, the former who got his “Malam” title at some point of his life perhaps in reference to some “Malam qualities” he had, or maybe he was simply named after someone of Islamic scholarly repute in his immediate or extended family, insists on the need to deploy overwhelming military force to crush the bandits once and for all.

On the other hand, the latter who obviously earned his “Malam” title from his training as an Islamic scholar albeit with a previous military background advocates negotiations and reasoning with the bandits to desist from banditry. 

Until the recent BBC Hausa interview with Governor El-Rufa’i where he stressed that stance, many observers had probably assumed that Dr Gumi’s initiative was at least approved by the Kaduna State Government, for, after all, other governors in the region have been involved in similar negotiations with bandits in their respective states.

Now, the question of who is right or wrong between the two Malams requires some considerations to address, for neither is absolutely right or absolutely wrong. The validity or otherwise of either’s stance depends on the extent of its pragmatism.

Interestingly, a typical competent government fighting, say, insurgency or banditry never sounds desperate for negotiation with the bandits or insurgents even when it's actually not strong enough to crush them. This is a common tactical strategy to preserve the prestige of the state and avoid inadvertently demoralising the security personnel and emboldening the criminals. Besides, doing so undermines the government’s bargaining position during any future negotiation and enables the criminals to blackmail the government into making unnecessary and costly concessions.

Anyway, during the interview Governor El-Rufa’i wasn’t talking from that tactical perspective; he instead meant exactly what he said.  And looking at his stance against the backdrop of the current circumstances, it’s hard to rightly dismiss it. Because, unlike Dr Gumi, being the governor of the state hence its chief security officer who has access to sensitive security intelligence he must have had compelling arguments to justify his stance. 

Besides, at things stand at the moment, nothing justifies let alone warrants negotiation with the bandits for now.  That could only be rightly considered when they have been largely eliminated with the survivors on the run desperate to cling to life.

The charades of reconciliations with bandits, which some state governors in the region oversee only embolden the criminals. A typical so-called reconciliation occasion where bandits show up well-armed and speak arrogantly suggests extreme desperation on the part of the government, which the bandits capitalize on to dictate their terms. For instance, a particular viral photo of Governor Masari of Katsina State posing with a ragtag bandit clutching an AK-47 rifle during one of such purported reconciliation occasions is particularly frustrating.

That also explains why after every so-called reconciliation the bandits only suspend operations for some time in the relevant area while probably still operating elsewhere before they resume operation in the same area as well. Meanwhile, other bandits out there who weren’t part of that “reconciliation” perpetrate their operations in any case. 

Anyway, though the controversy generated by Governor El-Rufa’i’s stance wasn’t unexpected, he should be challenged to, in return, challenge the federal government to order the military and the other security agencies to embark on an overwhelming operation against the bandits as he envisages since he believes it remains the only feasible option.

However, while I for one also have the same view in this regard, I believe Malam El-Rufa’i’s stance doesn’t downplay the importance of Malam Gumi’s initiative. The two strategies can be pursued simultaneously, for they aren’t mutually exclusive.

Yet, Malam Gumi can achieve better and more sustainable results by focusing more on persuading the bandits to first and foremost be committed to the teachings and values of the Islamic religion, which most, if not all, of them claim to believe in. Because having been accustomed to making easy money through banditry and kidnapping, only that commitment would enable them to develop sustainable spiritual resistance against the temptation to revert to banditry. After all, there have been many instances of some so-called repentant bandits resuming their activities.

Also, as Governor Malam El-Rufa’i rightly observed in that interview, mere negotiations cannot make a bandit who in the past could hardly make a hundred thousand Naira a year from a cow sale but now makes millions from banditry, to desist from 

Kano Kogo cleric

(Read it also in Daily Trust)

                                                                    Abdul-Jabbar

Even from afar one can perceive the extent of public anger in Kano and beyond over the heretical utterances of one Abdul-Jabbar, a Kano-based “cleric” on a mission to discredit the Sahaba and successive generations of Muslim scholarly authorities over the centuries.

Operating from his so-called As’habul-Kahfi centre otherwise known as Kogo in Filin Mushe, a Kano inner-city neighbourhood, he introduces blasphemous interpretations to authentic Prophetic Hadiths to deny the authenticity of the Hadiths and discredit its narrators i.e. the Sahaba and the subsequent generations of Muslim scholars who have over the centuries collected, preserved and disseminated it.

To prepare the ground for his purported logical questioning of the authenticity of any Prophetic Hadith he targets, he begins by interpreting it out of its context then subjects it to his flawed literal understanding of the Arabic language to come up with a heretical interpretation of his own and reject the Hadith on that basis.

He also adopts Mu'tazilite, Orientalist and Shiite philosophical criticisms of Hadiths albeit without citing the sources; he instead brags that they are his own conclusions following his profound intellectual efforts and critical analyses to purge Islam of what the Sahaba and their successors over the centuries ascribed to Islam, according to him.

Many people rightly wonder how Abdul-Jabbar who often struggles to just recite the Qur’anic verses yet hardly gets it right would claim to come up with the right interpretations of the Prophetic Hadiths contrary to the perception of the very generation who the Messenger of Allah (SAW) addressed i.e. the Sahaba.

His obvious and gross inadequacy in the basic Qur’anic recitation (not even memorization) skill disproves his claim to Islamic scholarship, for there’s absolutely no way anyone can be an Islamic scholar without mastering the Qur’an in terms of recitation skill, its science, Tafseer, jurisprudence and other related disciplines in all of which Abdul-Jabbar is grossly inadequate.

While any fair-minded fellow with a reasonable background in Islamic scholarship can attest to that, it isn’t a coincidence that he attracts largely narrow-minded, overzealous and thuggish followers who massage his ego to sustain his empty pride.

What’s hardly explicable, however, is how some others who aren’t necessarily his followers have turned themselves into his apologists just to spite those who challenge him. Out of sheer prejudice, some folks desperately struggle to justify or at least downplay the implications of his heretical views simply because most of those who challenge him are Sunni Ulama with whom such folks have underlying philosophical, ideological or sectarian differences. They are mostly Ulama-hating “liberal” Muslims, Shiites or bigoted Sufis.  

Though the Ulama in Kano and other states are doing their best in terms of countering Abdul-Jabbar's delusions with compelling scholarly arguments, they need to do more on addressing the implications of discrediting the Sahaba. Because many people don’t seem to realize the magnitude of those implications. Many people reject vilifying the Sahaba only because they consider it unethical, which is absolutely right. However, not many of them realize the real target and agenda behind it.

In reality, the Sahaba per se aren’t the ultimate target in this regard after all; the ultimate target is the Islamic religion itself. Because being the only generation fortunate enough to have learnt the Qur’an and imbibed Islamic religion including its fundamentals, worship rites, injunctions, moral values etc. directly from the Messenger of Allah (SAW); practised it in his presence, propagated and taught the subsequent generation, discrediting the Sahaba is necessarily tantamount to rejecting the authenticity of the Qur’an itself. Because you cannot discredit them yet claim to believe in the authenticity of the Qur’an since they were its only transmission source. In other words, you either believe in their trustworthiness or simply reject the Qur'an; a belief in the authenticity of the Qur’an and discrediting the Sahaba are and will remain mutually exclusive.

Though the Sahaba were fallible as individuals, their consensus was/is absolutely infallible as indicated in various Qur’anic verses. Besides, with the exception of the prophets and messengers of Allah, no human generation ever received the amount of Allah’s Accolade in the noble Qur’an close to what they received, which confirms His Pleasure with them that, in return, guarantees them Paradise as clearly mentioned in many verses in the noble Qur’an.

That’s why over the centuries, the integrity of the Sahaba has always been the target of anybody with a mission to irreparably undermine Islam and empty it of its substance. Shiites and Orientalists have been particularly unrelenting in this regard, but Allah the Almighty has always and will always preserve His religion.

Now, though the Kano State Government has rightly banned Abdul-Jabbar from public “preaching” and closed down his notorious Kogo, the Ulama shouldn’t relent in their commitment to refuting his delusions intellectually. After all, his books and lectures on video and audio formats would continue to circulate. He may also carry on his activities in other states.

In any case, as it has always been the fate of his likes over the centuries, he may equally last for some time propagating misguidance before he ends up in the dustbin of history in due course. And unless he repents and retracts, he will definitely stand before Allah the Almighty for a trial between him on the one hand, and the Sahaba and other individuals and generations he has spent his life vilifying, on the other.