25/01/2022
SHOULD RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS ABSTAIN FROM SPEAKING ON NATIONAL ISSUES OR ANY POLITICAL MATTERS ?
One of the plights or challenges faced by Religious Scholars or Clergies in the hands of some parochial politicians, western educated elites and their misguided agents that could not even see things beyond their noses or foreheads is that they should not involved themselves in the affairs of Nigeria by criticising or correcting any misdeeds perpetrated by the power that be or by any Ruler or Politician. These short sighted or myopic individuals and their agents had further advanced their unfounded theory or figment of imaginations by telling the religious Scholars that they should only remain in their areas of specialization such as teachings in Islamiyya schools or religious institutions , leading prayers as Imams , preachings , making du`a or prayers during weddings , naming ceremonies or during dead of somebody or making national prayers . etc . But according to their mulish mentality , a religious Scholar or Ustaz or Malam or Sheikh has no any legitimate right to speak on any conventional issue such as the state of the nation like insecurity , corruptions , injustices , and other political or social crimes perpetrated by the government officials . Whenever a religious scholar speaks against the inimical attitude or policy of any of their political idols belonging to their respective political party that are detrimental to the interest or social well being of the common man , their useless or funny responses and insinuations are ´´ Malam remain in your areas of specialization only´´ Malam are you a politician ? Malam why are you speaking on national issues ? Malam has been bribed to criticise our party etc ´´ Haba ! why making all these noises ? Are the religious Scholars not Nigerians ? Do they not have the rights to speak on things they consider necessary or to contribute to the moral and social developments of Nigeria ? If a religious Scholar make any mistake or slip of tongue , he can be corrected but it is somehow preposterous or foolishness for someone to say that a religious scholar should only restrict himself within the four corners of the mosque or remain quite when things are getting worst in the country . You cannot tell any religious Scholar that is educated or well acquainted with the current and unstable situations of the country to keep his mouth shut or remain silence except if you are an imbecile or an accomplice of the crimes and corruption perpetrated by most of the leaders of this country .. The only thing a Scholar should do is to fear Allah and be just in every thing he needs to say against any person or any national issue . The most unfortunate thing is that , hypocrisy , sycophancy, pretence, praise singings , lips services and other exaggerated loyalties or eye services have become the order of the day in our country especially in the northern States of Nigeria . When people believed that their destinies are controlled by human beings like themselves , the next thing for them to do is to worship such human demigods as their saviours at the instances of putting their trust in Allah . This is very unfortunate . May Allah be our guide and protector always .
