JOURNALIST: “I am a journalist. I use my profession in protecting the weak and exposing corruption and impunity, for the Prophet of Islam Muhammad (upon whom be peace) has said the greatest struggle is telling truth to the unjust leader. And that’s how I seek my Paradise. And that is My Jihad.”
Perhaps the most “successful” aspect of propaganda used by insurgents in the ongoing disturbances in the North East and the Chad Basin is in the insurgent’s ability to convince the young men they were recruiting that they were going on Jihad, with all the collateral benefits Islam conveys on that holy struggle. Conveniently, they always neglect to mention to their potential recruits that there were multiple other means of Jihad.
For example, one never hears from their leaders the famous Hadith of the Prophet of Islam Muhammad (upon whom be peace), whence a young man approached him to be enlisted. The Prophet (upon whom be peace) asked the young volunteer whether his mother was alive. On receiving an affirmative answer, the Prophet (upon whom be peace) ordered the young man back to his mother – with her is your Jihad, the Prophet (upon whom be peace) was reported as saying.
It was a pleasant experience, therefore, that this week I sat amidst a perfect mix of Muslim scholars, media practitioners, experts, civil society and women groups in what turned out to be some fascinating deliberations and sharing of knowledge and expertise. The occasion collected this diverse pool of people to discuss the best way to disseminate theological arguments aimed at providing constructive alternative narratives to the violent interpretations of Islam presented by extremist groups in North Eastern Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin.
The seed for this initiative was sown some three years ago by Barrister Audu Bulama Bukarti, when he was invited by a platform to deliver a lecture on the causes and cures of the bloodshed in the insurgency. At the occasion, Bukarti argued that to comprehensively respond to violent groups, we have got to target the root causes of their violence rather than the violence alone.
He had contended that while economic factors such as poverty and employment, family issues such as broken homes and unhappy childhoods, and initial lackadaisical response by security agencies might have been part of the factors that gave rise to and/or exacerbated the bloodletting in the affected areas, one fact that is clear was that religious ideology played a significant role in the recruitment, indoctrination and radicalisation of young men and women. In fact, religious ideology was the glue which bound together these grievances to produce violence.
Bukarti was to further submit that any lasting solution would have to give an alternative to the ideology driving these groups, rather than fighting alone. He further submitted that an ideology could not be fought with bullets alone for, while arms and ammunitions could and do kill extremists, they cannot kill extremism. In fact, paradoxically, extremists are quite happy to be killed, and their comrades always lament “O! Were we as lucky as so and so who have been martyred…” Extremism is an ideological construct: one can only fight an ideology with another.
SCHOOL TEACHER: “I am a school teacher. I teach children and try to mould their character to be the best, for the Prophet of Islam Muhammad (upon whom be peace) has said the best of people is he who seeks knowledge and imparts it. And that’s how I seek my Paradise. And that is My Jihad.”
Bukarti later undertook extensive research into the ideological arguments, conclusions and references of well-known violent extremist groups. He reviewed tens of the group’s audio and video recordings and studied the two books (actually a book and a pamphlet) written by its ideologues.
His studies found that the group’s ideology is premised on mistaken, twisted or even perverse understanding of Islam which led them to conclude that: (a) Conventional (defined by them as Western, or Boko) education is Haram; (b) Working for a secular government is Haram (as the secular government itself is Haram); (c) Democracy is anti-Islamic and living under such a system is Haram and forbidden; (d) Anyone who differs with them on these postulates is excommunicated and declared non-Muslim, Kafir; and (e) They believe that the default relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims (including those Muslims they declare apostates) is enmity and warfare until one subdues the other.
The work found that the group cherry picks Islamic textual authorities and cites them out of context and misinterprets and misapplies juristic and scholarly opinions.
These studies were concluded with the validation of the findings by a panel made up of renowned scholars and experts. Bukarti then decided to make visits to selected scholars and media representatives in northern Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad. The mission was to discuss with the respondents the findings of the research with a view to obtaining feedbacks, explore the best ways to counter these interpretations (actually misinterpretations) of Islam, and to get respondents’ buy-in.
Muslim scholars across the region have always taken serious exception to these violent interpretations of Islam and have tried in their individual ways to argue against them, some losing their lives for so doing. Therefore, there is always need for synergy and necessity to empower and support Muslim scholars to collectively and comprehensively give alternatives to the theology polemics of the group. All respondents gladly accepted to partake in the effort if invited.
In May 2016, Muslim scholars from across the Sahel endorsed a document prepared as a preaching manual against violent extremism in the region. It became known as ‘Constructive Alternative Narratives to Extremist’s Narratives’. The treatise contained a rebuttal of the erroneous arguments and conclusions of the insurgents. It presented the correct position of Islam on the five issues raised by the group; it brought back to context the textual authorities and the scholars cited out of context.
So this week we came together – a gathering of scholars, media experts and practitioners and representatives, youth and women groups to discuss how the message contained in the above document could effectively reach the target audience: the millions of youths, most of whom are neither well educated nor gainfully employed, who could be easily exploited by the extremists, leading to recruitment.
We discussed how to reach out to and support the target audience which includes religious leaders (scholars and imams), other influencers (traditional and community leaders, parents, the media, etc.) and the recruitment pool (youths and children). We agreed that sensitisation campaigns must be innovative and precise and social media (WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), conventional media (Radio, TV, Newspapers, etc.) and traditional methods of disseminating information (preaching, publications, word-of-mouth) should be deployed. Participants from all the interests represented pledged to support the initiative in their various ways. Resolutions on concrete next steps were made and a steering committee mandated to implement the resolutions was inaugurated.
It goes without saying that an endeavour like the above is a collective responsibility of all conscious members of the society. Our religious and traditional leaders, our youth and women groups, our politicians and elites must support this noble effort. It is the media’s corporate social responsibility to spread this message of peace and harmonious coexistence.
HOUSEWIFE: “I am a housewife. I take care of my family. I cook, clean and ensure my children go to school, for the Prophet of Islam Muhammad (upon whom be peace) has said that women are also leaders in their homes and they will be called to account for that leadership. And that’s how I seek my Paradise. And this is My Jihad.”
Therefore, to each their Jihad.
