SHARI'AH IN NIGERIA

[lionger]

Well it's been quite a while since I was here last, but kai, u pipu sabi dodge kweshon. Dan Sokoto's objective in posting Abati's article is obviously lost; you are all beating about the bush. With the exception of Abumujahid, not one person has even touched Haruna's analysis of Nigeria's Sharia, let alone challenge it. Most of you have retreated with the lines, 'Sharia has always been in Nigeria...sharia will never be applied to non-Muslims, so what's your problem?' That argument is way beside the point, because neither Haruna nor Abati have said anything to the contrary. Or are you all saying that Nigeria's sharia is above critical analysis cuz it is for Muslims only? If so, then it is a very big mistake, and we might as well resurrect Abacha from the dead and go back to military rule. If you're saying it is above 'christian' or non-muslim evaluation, then you are wrong again. As long as federal money is being used to fund Sharia activities, non-muslims have every right to bare their minds on the subject. So instead of saying,'its none of your business so back off!', Maybe u should start really listening to them for a change.

[Barde]

Lionger,i think i should come in here eventhough am a bit late anyway, it's better late than never.with out wasting much of your time,let me just tackle the questions the writer raised.

1.First of all, like my brothers have rightly pointed out,shariah has been existing in northern nigeria,i will refer you to the history of our region before the amalgamation of nigeria,i think way back to 1914,by the british.They robbed us of our religion,culture in fact let me cut everything short,we were robbed of anything you can think of.Christianity was forced down our throats.For example the national pleadge,the calender,our schools, let me just live you here if not i can go on and on.Is it because we are not talking for peace to reign that's why the christians have been riding on our back?

on why do we clamour for shariah in nigeria when countries like turkey who are more suitable for shariah don't,let me just give you an example with your self,let's say your freind is doing a wrong thing,do you join him?i think the best thing you will do,if at all you are sincere is to do the right thing so that he copies from you.So also Nigeria and countries like turkey.We are by implementing shariah doing the right so that they also copy from us.

2.Shariah and constitution,let me ask you doesn't our constitution gives us freedom to practice our religion?and let me tell you,in case you don't know what Mr president,Mr Kanu Agabi and the late Bola Ige former minister for justice said when the whole saga started,that shariah is constitutional if anybody is agrived,he is free to migrate to any part of the country and as you know all of them are christians.

3.Shariah does not make any sense?,if i may ask you or the writer,is it the type of justice that is found in lagos and other states that makes sense?as soon as a thief is caught,the next second ,they will just burn him to even though i was told by a freind that they have now modernised it,a thief is now given the chance of selecting between the lagos law and Zamfara's, Let me put it in their own words,they will say na lagos you want abi na samfara?you know a typical yoruba man cannot pronounce letter z.If you want to setup any body just follow him to a public place and shout olley,that's all.Tell me which one is more sensible and barbaric.

4.If you can remember lionger,i told you that christians are ignorant of shariah.There is a difference between a public office holder and ordinary citezen,if the latter steals above certain amount,his arm will be cut off while if the former loots ?treajury,his arm will not be cut off,why?this is because he has access to the treajury,he can only be tried for breach of trust if there is enough evidence against him, so also if a house boy steals from his master's house,his arm will not be cut off cause he has access to the house.For anybody's hand to be cut off,the place where he steals has to be under lock and key.
Let me touch a little bit of adultery eventhough the writer did not say anything about it,i will take the case of Safiya Hussein as an example,Christians accused shariah of discriminatory against women,i don't blame them cause as i said they are just condenming what they are ignorant of,lionger,do you know that four witnesses have to testify seeing the culprit in the act?you will tell me that isn't going to be possible, yes it is hard,that's to show you that shariah is not just after stoning people.If a woman is pregnant out of wedlock nko?You will agree with me that,it's not possible for a woman to be pregnant with out meeting a man,In this case, it is left for the woman to say who is responsible for the pregnancy,if he denies and there is no evidence against him,shikenan the woman have to be stonned to death accordingly.That's what happed to safiya. The wisdom behind carrying out judgement according to shariah is just to scare people of the consequencies of indulging in something that is not legal.Won't you be ashamed when you are going about with an amputated arm? people will see you as an example, There are some Hausa adages that are relevant here,one is saying that,In gemun dan uwanka ya kama da wuta,to kashafawa naka ruwa.Meaning if you see your brothers beard catching fire, you pour water on yours.and the other one says, Ganiga wane ya'ishi wane tsoron Allah,meaning,Watching from somebody is enough to make somebody fear Allah.So please abeg una in the name of creator to stop condenming something you no sabi.

5.I will not say anything pertaining the judges until you give us an example so that we know where to start or is it an allegation against the judges?

6.Federal resources,is it only christians that pay tax?what of the internally generated revenue?isn't it enough to fund shariah? more over have you heard of any body that go to where christians are majority and clamour for shariah?a state like Akwaibom,rivers,Enugu e.t.c.You tell me if you heard of one.We are only clamouring for shariah where muslims are the majority.Lionger please endeavour to tell me the ratio of muslims to christians in the following states,Zamfara,Kebbi,Katsina,Kano,Borno,let me just live you here cause the states are many.

The final question i will repeat here,doesn't our constitution allows freedom for worship?More over we are in a democracy now, the game of numbers.If we can tolerate christians all these years,i don't see any reason why they shouldn't do the same.That's the kind of sacrifices we have to do, for us to leave together.Christians have showed us their level of intolerance, Afterall why are they afraid of shariah if they are not going to engage themselves in stealing,adultery,fornication e.t.c.If shariah were to be given another name that is not islamic,am sure lionger and co will embrace it whole heartedly,they just hate anything islamic for whatever reason, only God knows.

I hope, lionger,the few reasons i gave are valid enough for you guys to let shariah be in our states,if they are not valid enough,let me have your own reasons.
Thank you.

Barde.

[Saurayi]

lol hi shabba

first of all, i would much rather have muslim 'evangelists' moving around preaching to people about their religion than sharia. ?I have no problems with ppl trying to spread their religion, as long as they don't kill or harm me for non-acceptance, and i know that the christian evangelists in nigeria do not kill dissenters.

u think only christians are against sharia? my friend, i don't think ppl with no particular religious affiliation (the new generation mostly) are happy with sharia in nigeria at all. secondly, i'd like you to read my response to abumujahid's last post. i'm a christian, and as such i don't care for prostitutes, gambling or night clubs. My point on that was in response to Abumujahid's (and your) idea that sharia will not be applied to non-muslims. If that's really the case, then what about the fatwa on isioma? would that have happened if sharia was not there? is possible that a muslim non-northern politician could have done what shinkafi did?

Thirdly, i think i've hit the crux of my disagreement with many of you pro-sharia folks: sharia in theory vs. sharia in practise. Your arguments all point to the fact that sharia is not a problem in theory; but is that the case in practise in Nigeria? Can't you see the point that those who started this sharia thing are not interested in islam but in their pockets, that they are the only winners and the losers are the northern masses? shabba and ice i would like you guys to respond to the points Haruna made about the way sharia is being practised in nigeria, aka the contradictions? Is he right?

THe fact still remain,Shariah is for muslims. Never for non muslims. As one of my mentors once said "you are free to swing your hands,nobody will ask you why,but if you swing your hands and touch my nose definately I will ask why".

Non muslims should not teach us how to practice our religion. Lakum dinakum waliyadeen. You have your religion and I have mine,I will not practice your religion and you won't practice mine.

Why the fuss over shariah. Who is afraid of it? Shariah tends to wipe away social vices in the most decend way,what will your responce be to AIDS? And what of the happenings in places like Lagos when you shout Ole? Do you think these are better ways of doing away with social vices.

Leave Shariah alone it has come to stay. A word is enough for the wise.