Yerima and his teenage wife

Written by Sheik Taofeek Miqdad

Thursday, 06 May 2010 23:11

I was greeted with consternation at the bizarre and rather pugnacious attitude of some Nigerian women liberation groups who have been criticising Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima over his recent marriage to a 13-year old Egyptian girl.

One would wonder what exactly the problem is if I decide to give my daughter out in marriage having attained puberty as far as the codes of ethics in my country is concerned. For the purpose of emphasis let me make the fact straight and clear here that different countries of the world have various ages which by a way of subjective assessment have been agreed to as the age when a child could be said to have attained to puberty. While in Nigeria, the age is 18, in the UK it was 15 but now 12 (for girls), in Holland it is 12, in Indonesia it is 16 as well as in Egypt whereas different countries in the world have such subjective and parochial assessment. Having said this, it will be wrong for any women group to throw caution to the wind and impose their own conclusion on another person’s decision.

But suffice it to say that these are mere rational but not natural yardsticks to measure maturity, let me state here that maturity in male is naturally discernible by appearances and developments such as: experience of wet dreams, growth of hair in the armpit, deepening of the voice, growth of mouths ache and beard etc. as to the female child, her maturity/adulthood starts with appearance of breast, commencement of menstrual cycle and others. According to www.kidshealth.org “puberty is the name for the time when your body begins to develop and change. Girls start developing breasts and get their periods signs that they are growing into women… these changes are between the ages of 8 and 13.

Generally speaking, there is no correlation between the subjective adoption of eighteen years as the age of maturity and the natural discernible signs of maturity whether in male or in female. There are only conceptual and desultory dilettante.

Now, a look at the Yerima vs women civil society groups. I see it as excessive and pusillanimous for women groups to seek legal redress on behalf of a girl whose parents have not made a plea to them to do that on their behalf. With due respect to public officers, I want to state here that a number of teenagers, some of whom are under graduates, are serving as their concubines in various hotels. Having affair with such girls provided they can use condoms is neither seen as anti child rights nor as infidelity. Pages of newspapers and magazines are replete with such incidents almost on a weekly basis. But where a senator chooses not to engage in concubinage or infidelity only for him to honorably get married, the ‘mothers’ see it as pedophilia. If you can walk in some areas in Abuja then your doubts will be answered because you will see these little girls with their sugar daddies who use them and change them at will like a man changes his apparel. To this the ‘mothers’ are not protesting.

Shaykh Miqdad is of: The Truth Seekers’ Forum

http://www.news.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18516&catid=3&Itemid=129

Enjoy reading facts,

@ Azuka O.,

Expecting your responsive comment on the above issue.

Thanks.

@ Azuka O,

For a Complete list of youngest mothers check out : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_youngest_birth_mothers

@ Azuka O.,

I think you still thinking something wrong with this issue alright ? But The religion of Senator is Islam, and nothing wrong with that in the religion, the issue is either the Senator has to obey the constitution or his religion, remember he take an oath with his Qur'an not the constitution.

Anyway, what I want to point out here is that, 9 year old girl can give birth a healthy baby, nothing new here please.

I know you made need link or an evidence of such, lets go :




The boy weighed 5 lbs and 9 ozs.

Lina is believed to be the youngest girl in the world to give birth to a healthy, full term baby.

Doctors found that Lina had a menstrual period at the young age of 8 months old.

The reason for this disorder is not known. As it's not everyday a 5 year old girl gets pregnant, research on the disorder is hard. Dr. Gerardo Lozada the doctor who delivered her son was astonished.

When asked who the father was, Lina did not give an answer. Many believed her father had molested her and got her pregnant. He was arrested, but because of lack of evidence, the case was dropped.

When her son, Gerardo (named after the doctor who delivered him), was 10 years old he discovered something quite shocking: the girl he believed to be his 15 year old sister was actually his mother.

Gerardo died at the age of 40 in 1979 from bone marrow disease. There is no evidence of the disease having anything to do with the fact that his mother had been so young when she had him.

Lina got married to Raúl Jurado in 1972 and had a second child 33 years after she gave birth to Gerardo. To this day the father of Gerardo is a mystery. Lina's second son currently lives in Mexico.

She was one of nine children born to country folk in Ticrapo, an Andean village at an altitude of 7,400 feet in Peru’s poorest province

A book, written by obstetrician Joseph Sandoval in 2002, who had been interested in her case, brought fresh attention to Medina’s story, and raised the prospect that the Peruvian government may belatedly offer her financial and other assistance. “The government condemned them to live in poverty back in 1939.

Extreme degrees of precocious puberty in children under 5 are very uncommon but not unheard of. Pregnancy and delivery by a child this young remains extremely rare because extremely precocious puberty is treated to suppress fertility, preserve growth potential, and reduce the social consequences of full sexual development in childhood.



http://www.incrediblebirths.com/Worlds-Youngest-Mother.html

@ Azuka.O,

What a good comment, but point of correction, check all my post I NEVER stated that

Christians are all thiefs, murderers

, unlike some large of number of Christians in nairaland do against Islam or Muslims, they quickly generalize which is very wrong.

Let me know on what ground (Christians)  are critizing Yerima ?

Let me start with answering your question no. 2, because question 1 has much explanation for you to understand, I have the answer to that already, but regarding the killing simply to you can't kill any of the twins, because all the major Religions on earth their religious teachings categorically oppose that (More especially Christianity & Islam). The value of human being is far beyong any other thing you can think up, compare or imagine, so forget the killing.


Answer to the question: Will you keep a slave today because it was practised in the Koran ?

Discussing slavery and asking questions about it on the part of those who promote Christianity and try to divert people from following the religion of Islam is something that annoys the wise person and makes him point the finger of accusation towards the ulterior motives that lie behind these questions.  

That is because slavery is well established in Judaism and Christianity, where it has taken unjust forms. They have many books which discuss that in detail and condone it. Therefore it makes you wonder: how can these churchmen call people to Christianity when Christianity condones and legitimizes slavery?

In other words: how can they stir up an issue when they themselves are up to their necks in it?!

The issue of slavery is completely different when discussed from the angles of Christianity and Islam, and when compared with the situation that prevailed at the advent of Islam.

Hence we must discuss this topic in some detail with reference to what is said in Judaism, Christianity and contemporary culture on this matter, then we will speak of slavery in Islam.

Many lies have been fabricated about Islam on this topic, at a time when criminals with lengthy track records are safe and nobody points a finger at them.

Islam and slavery:

Islam affirms that Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, created man fully accountable, and enjoined duties upon him, to which reward and punishment are connected on the basis of man’s free will and choice.

No human being has the right to restrict this freedom or take away that choice unlawfully; whoever dares to do that is a wrongdoer and oppressor.  

This is one of the basic principles of Islam. When the question is asked: why does Islam permit slavery? We reply emphatically and without shame that slavery is permitted in Islam, but we should examine the matter with fairness and with the aim of seeking the truth, and we should examine the details of the rulings on slavery in Islam, with regard to the sources and reasons for it, and how to deal with the slave and how his rights and duties are equal to those of the free man, and the ways in which he may earn his freedom, of which there are many in sharee’ah, whilst also taking into consideration the new types of slavery in this world which is pretending to be civilized, modern and progressive.

When Islam came, there were many causes of slavery, such as warfare, debt (where if the debtor could not pay off his debt, he became a slave), kidnapping and raids, and poverty and need.

Slavery did not spread in this appalling manner throughout all continents except by means of kidnapping; rather the main source of slaves in Europe and America in later centuries was this method.

The texts of Islam took a strong stance against this. It says in a hadeeth qudsi: “Allaah, may He be exalted, said: ‘There are three whose opponent I will be on the Day of Resurrection, and whomever I oppose, I will defeat … A man who sold a free man and consumed his price.’” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (2227).

It is worth pointing out that you do not find any text in the Qur’aan or Sunnah which enjoins taking others as slaves, whereas there are dozens of texts in the Qur’aan and the ahaadeeth of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which call for manumitting slaves and freeing them.

There were many sources of slaves at the time of the advent of Islam, whereas the means of manumitting them were virtually nil. Islam changed the way in which slavery was dealt with; it created many new ways of liberating slaves, blocked many ways of enslaving people, and established guidelines which blocked these means.

Islam limited the sources of slaves that existed before the beginning of the Prophet’s mission to one way only: enslavement through war which was imposed on kaafir prisoners-of-war and on their womenfolk and children.

Shaykh al-Shanqeeti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The reason for slavery is kufr and fighting against Allaah and His Messenger. When Allaah enables the Muslim mujaahideen who are offering their souls and their wealth, and fighting with all their strength and with what Allaah has given them to make the word of Allaah supreme over the kuffaar, then He makes them their property by means of slavery unless the ruler chooses to free them for nothing or for a ransom, if that serves the interests of the Muslims. End quote from Adwa’ al-Bayaan (3/387).

He also said:

If it is said: If the slave becomes Muslim then why keep him as a slave, when the reason for slavery is kufr and fighting against Allaah and His Messenger, so this reason no longer applies?

The answer is that the well known principle among the scholars and all wise people, which is that the previously established right cannot be erased by a right that is established later, and that what came first takes precedence, is obvious.

When the Muslims captured kuffaar, their right to possession was affirmed by the law of the Creator of all, Who is All Wise and All Knowing. So this right is confirmed and established. Then if the slave became Muslim after that, his right to escape slavery by embracing Islam was superseded by the mujaahid’s prior right to take possession of him before he became Muslim, and it would be unjust and unfair to annul the prior right because of a subsequent right, as is well known to all wise people.

Yes, it is good for the master to free the slave if he becomes Muslim. The Lawgiver enjoined and encouraged that, and opened many doors to it. Glory be to the Most Wise, the All Knowing. “And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. None can change His Words. And He is the All‑Hearer, the All‑Knower” [al-An’aam 6:115].

“in truth” means in what He tells us, and “in justice” means in His rulings.

Undoubtedly this justice refers to owning slaves and other rulings of the Qur’aan.

How many people criticize something sound when their problem is their own misunderstanding. End quote from Adwa’ al-Bayaan (3/389).

Capture of prisoners during war was the most common way of acquiring slaves. Prisoners would inevitably be captured during any war, and the prevalent custom at that time was that prisoners had no protection or rights; they would either be killed or enslaved. But Islam brought two more options: unconditional release or ransom. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Thereafter (is the time) either for generosity (i.e. free them without ransom), or ransom (according to what benefits Islam)” [Muhammad 47:4]. During the battle of Badr the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) accepted ransoms from the mushrik prisoners of war and let them go, and the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) let many of the prisoners go for free, releasing them with no ransom. During the conquest of Makkah it was said to the people of Makkah: “Go, for you are free.”

During the campaign of Banu’l-Mustaliq, the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) married a female prisoner from the defeated tribe so as to raise her status, as she was the daughter of one of their leaders, namely the Mother of the Believers Juwayriyah bint al-Haarith (may Allaah be pleased with her). Then the Muslims let all of these prisoners go.

Islam is not thirsty for the blood of prisoners, nor is it eager to enslave them.

Thus we may understand the limited ways that can lead to slavery. Islam did not abolish it altogether, because the kaafir prisoner who was opposed to truth and justice was a wrongdoer, or was a supporter of wrongdoing or was a tool in the execution or approval of wrongdoing. Letting him go free would give him the opportunity to spread wrongdoing and aggression against others and to oppose the truth and prevent it reaching people.  

Freedom is a basic human right which cannot be taken away from a person except for a reason. When Islam accepted slavery within the limits that we have described, it put restrictions on the man who exploits his freedom in the worst possible way. If he was taken prisoner in a war of aggression in which he was defeated, then the proper conduct is to keep him in reasonable conditions throughout his detention.

Despite all that, Islam offers many opportunities to restore freedom to him and people like him.

The principle of dealing with slaves in Islam is a combination of justice, kindness and compassion.

One of the means of liberating slaves is allocating a portion of zakaah funds to freeing slaves; the expiation for accidental killing, zihaar (a jaahili form of divorce that is forbidden), breaking vows and having intercourse during the day in Ramadaan, is to free a slave. In addition to that, Muslims are also encouraged in general terms to free slaves for the sake of Allaah.

This is a brief summary of some of the principles of dealing with slaves in a just and kind manner:

1 – Guaranteeing them food and clothing like that of their masters.

It was narrated that Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “They are your brothers whom Allaah has put under your authority, so if Allaah has put a person’s brother under his authority, let him feed him from what he eats and clothe him from what he wears, and let him not overburden him with work, and if he does overburden him with work, then let him help him.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6050).

2 – Preserving their dignity

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard Abu’l-Qaasim (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Whoever accuses his slave when he is innocent of what he says will be flogged on the Day of Resurrection, unless he is as he said.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6858).

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) manumitted a slave of his, then he picked up a stick or something from the ground and said: There is no more reward in it than the equivalent of this, but I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Whoever slaps his slave or beats him, his expiation is to manumit him.” Narrated by Muslim (1657).

3 – Being fair towards slaves and treating them kindly

It was narrated that ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan tweaked the ear of a slave of his when he did something wrong, then he said to him after that: Come and tweak my ear in retaliation. The slave refused but he insisted, so he started to tweak it slightly, and he said to him: Do it strongly, for I cannot bear the punishment on the Day of Resurrection. The slave said: Like that, O my master? The Day that you fear I fear also.

When ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf (may Allaah be pleased with him) walked among his slaves, no one could tell him apart from them, because he did not walk ahead of them, and he did not wear anything different from what they wore.

One day ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab passed by and saw some slaves standing and not eating with their master. He got angry and said to their master: What is wrong with people who are selfish towards their servants? Then he called the servants and they ate with them.

A man entered upon Salmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) and found him making dough – and he was a governor. He said to him: O Abu ‘Abd-Allaah, what is this? He said: We have sent our servant on an errand and we do not want to give him two jobs at once.

4 – There is nothing wrong with slaves having precedence over free men in some matters

- with regard to any religious or worldly matters in which he excels over him. For example, it is valid for a slave to lead the prayer. ‘Aa’ishah the Mother of the Believers had a slave who would lead her in prayer. Indeed the Muslims have been commanded to hear and obey even if a slave is appointed in charge of their affairs.

5 – A slave may buy himself from his master and be free.

If a person is enslaved for some reason but then it becomes apparent that he has given up his wrongdoing and forgotten his past, and he has become a man who shuns evil and seeks to do good, is it permissible to respond to his request to let him go free? Islam says yes, and there are some fuqaha’ who say that this is obligatory and some who say that it is mustahabb.

This is what is called a mukaatabah or contract of manumission between the slave and his master. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And such of your slaves as seek a writing (of emancipation), give them such writing, if you find that there is good and honesty in them. And give them something (yourselves) out of the wealth of Allaah which He has bestowed upon you”

[al-Noor 24:33]

This is how Islam treats slaves justly and kindly.

One of the results of these guidelines is that in many cases, the slave would become a friend of his master; in some cases the master would regard him as a son. Sa’d ibn Haashim al-Khaalidi said, describing a slave of his:

He is not a slave, rather he is a son whom [Allaah] has put under my care.

He has supported me with his good service; he is my hands and my arms.

Another result of the Muslims treating slaves in this manner is that the slaves became part of Muslim families as if they were also family members.  

Gustave le Bon says in Hadaarat al-‘Arab (Arab Civilization) (p. 459-460): What I sincerely believe is that slavery among the Muslims is better than slavery among any other people, and that the situation of slaves in the east is better than that of servants in Europe, and that slaves in the east are part of the family. Slaves who wanted to be free could attain freedom by expressing their wish. But despite that, they did not resort to exercising this right. End quote.

How did non-Muslims treat slaves?

Attitude of the Jews towards slaves:

According to the Jews, mankind is divided into two groups: the Israelites form one group and all of mankind is another group.  

As for the Israelites, it is permissible to enslave some of them, according to specific teachings contained in the Old Testament.

As for people other than the Israelites, they are a low-class race according to the Jews, who may be enslaved via domination and subjugation, because they are people who are doomed to humiliation by the heavenly decree from eternity. It says in Exodus 21:2-6:

“If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything.

3 If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him.

4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.

5 But if the servant declares, 'I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,'

6 then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life”

As for enslaving non-Hebrews, this is done by taking them captive or overpowering them, because they believe that their race is superior to others, and they try to find a justification for that slavery in their distorted Torah. So they say that Ham the son of Noah – who was the father of Canaan – angered his father, because Noah was drunk one day and became naked as he was sleeping in his tent, and Ham saw him like that. When Noah found out about that after he woke up, he got angry and he cursed his progeny who were descendents of Canaan, and he said – according to the Book of Genesis 9:25-26): “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.’ He also said, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.’”

In the same chapter (v. 27) it says: “May God extend the territory of Japheth; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his [or their] slave”.

In the Book of Deuteronomy 20:10-14, it says:

“When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace.

11 If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you.

12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city.

13 When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it.

14 As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves”

Attitude of the Christians towards slaves:

Christianity confirmed slavery as it had been affirmed beforehand by Judaism. There is no text in the Gospels that prohibits or denounces slavery. It is remarkable that the historian William Muir criticized our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) for not immediately abolishing slavery, whilst overlooking the attitude of the Gospels concerning slavery, as there is no report from the Messiah, or from the Disciples, or from the churches concerning this issue.

Rather, in his Epistles, Paul advised that slaves should be loyal to their masters, as he says in his Epistle to the Ephesians, where he enjoins slaves to obey their masters as they would obey the Messiah:

“5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.

6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.

7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men,

8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free”

(Ephesians 6:5-9).

In Grand Larousse encyclopédique, it says: It comes as no surprise that slavery has continued among Christians until today; the official representatives of the faith have affirmed its validity and accepted its legitimacy.

… to sum up: the Christian religion approved fully of slavery and still does so today. It is very difficult for anyone to prove that Christianity strove to abolish slavery.

The saints affirmed that nature makes some people slaves.

Churchmen did not prevent slavery or oppose it; rather they supported it, to such an extent that the philosopher saint Thomas Aquinas supported the philosophical view that agreed with the view of religious leaders, and he did not object to slavery, rather he praised it because – according to the view of Aristotle – it is one of the conditions in which some people are created naturally, and it does not contradict faith for a man to be content with the lowest position in life.

Haqaa’iq al-Islam by al-‘Aqqaad (p. 215).

In the Dictionary of the Bible by Dr. George Yousuf it says: Christianity did not object to slavery for political or economic reasons, and it did not urge believers to oppose their generation’s views with regard to slavery, or even debate it, and it did not say anything against the rights of slave owners or motivate the slaves to seek independence; it did not discuss the harm or harshness of slavery and it did not enjoin the immediate release of slaves.  

It did not change anything in the nature of the relationship between master and slave; on the contrary, it affirmed the rights and duties of both parties.

Contemporary Europe and slavery

It is the reader’s right, in this era of advancement and progress, to ask questions about the pioneers of this progress and the numbers of people who died because of the way in which they were hunted, and who died on their way to the coast where the ships of the English Company and others would wait, then the rest died due to changes in climate. Approximately 4% died as they were being loaded onto the ships, and 12 % during the journey, let alone those who died in the colonies.

The slave trade continued at the hands of English companies that obtained the right of monopoly with the permission of the British government, then gave free rein to British subjects to enslave people. Some experts estimate that the total number of people seized by the British during slavery and exiled to the colonies between 1680 and 1786 CE was around 2,130,000.

When Europe made contact with Black Africa, this contact led to human misery during which the black people of that continent were faced with a major calamity that lasted for five centuries. The states of Europe came up with evil ways of kidnapping these people and bringing them to their lands to serve as fuel for their revival, where they burdened them with more work than they could bear. When America was discovered, the calamity increased and they became slaves in two continents instead of just one.

The Encyclopaedia Britannica says (2/779) on the topic of slavery: Hunting slaves in the villages that were surrounded by the jungle was done by lighting fires in the straw of which the corrals surrounding the villages were made, then when the villagers fled to open land, the British hunted them down with whatever means they had at their disposal.  

During the period from 1661 to 1774, for every million Black Africans who reached the Americas, a further nine million died during the hunting, loading and transportation. In other words, only one tenth of those who were hunted survived and actually reached the Americas, where they found no rest or relief, rather they were subjected to hard labour and torture.

At that time, they had laws which any wise person would be ashamed of.

Among these evil laws were those which said that any slave who transgressed against his master was to be killed, and any slave who ran away was to have his hands and feet cut off, and he was to be branded with hot iron; if he ran away again, he was to be killed. How could he run away if his hands and feet had been cut off?!

It was forbidden for a black man to become educated, and the jobs of whites were forbidden to coloureds.

In America, if seven black people gathered together, that was regarded as a crime, and if a white man passed by them it was permissible for him to spit at them and give them twenty lashes.

Another law stated that the blacks had no soul and that they possessed no smartness, intelligence or willpower, and that life existed only in their arms.

To sum up, with regard to his duties and service to his master, the slave was regarded as sane, responsible and punishable if he fell short, but with regard to his rights, he had no soul and no being, and he was not more than a strong pair of arms!

Finally, after many centuries of enslavement and oppression, there came the protocol to abolish slavery and strive to put an end to it, in a resolution issued by the United Nations in 1953 CE.

Hence their consciences did not awaken until the last century, after they had built their civilization on the corpses of free men whom they had enslaved unlawfully. What fair-minded person can compare this with the teachings of Islam, which came fourteen hundred years ago? It seems that accusing Islam with regard to this topic is like the saying, “She accused me of her problem then walked away.”

And Allaah knows best.

See: Shubahaat Hawl al-Islam by Muhammad Qutub; Talbees Mardood fi Qadaaya Khateerah by Shaykh Dr. Saalih ibn Humayd, the Imam of the Haram in Makkah.

Thanks.

@ Shokoloko,

Who is yeye man here?, you or the yerima, because nothing wrong with Yerima on this case (I dont care other things),  I will say that million times, you are just wasting your time, and showing hatred against Muslims.

Show me your post where you say yeye Obasanjo when it was revealed that he slept with his son's wife, why all these double standards, and phobias?. Most of you ignore to comments or say bad things about persons like OBJ, but now so much interested in commenting about Yerima simply because he is Muslims, shame on you. And when Muslims indicate what he did is in line with his believe (Islam), you quickly start calling names, most of you here are nothing but bunch of Christians hypocrites whom ignore to even study their bible, because they know less about it (some they don't care about it), and were brainwashed by pagans idealogies.

Islam is here to stay, Sharia is here to stay, Muslims are here to stay , go to hell.

@ Olaolufred,

so now which of the sins is big to you, sodomy with underage children? Sleeping with peoples wife, or marrying 13 years old for somebody following the teaching of his (not yours) religious tradition ?

Do you ever hear or find any Muslim complaining or disturbing himself because Christians are not observing and following the 10 commandments, who cares.

I still cant understand why we have so much blinded Christians who cant understand or cannot differentiate between common sense and following the right path of ones religion.

You all definitely die as ignorance and haters of peaceful co-existence, since you r still seeing something wrong with this, nothing wrong here my friend, the only problem is within yourself, you cant study and understand bible talkless of understanding traditions of somebody’s religion.

"Man yudlil fala hadiya la",

Better discuss the massive, and countless arrogance and barbaric issues encircling Christianity in this era and finding a solutions within yourself, you cant convince anyone of us here.

I think the biggest problem we have with these fake Christians is that they were already brainwashed by European (pagans) free-thinkers who even never believe the existence of God, whom also are frontiers of this so called and unacceptable issue of child rights, women freedom, freedom of speech etc etc, later you will find them killing thousands in the names of those "terms".

Why cant you see reality yet ?

If you can't make a positive comment, then just keep quite, so that you don't waste bandwidth for nothing. Leave Muslims business for Muslims, Christians for Christians, period.

Because, the way I see Nigeria is that, as long as Christians will continue in interfering in Muslims issues that doesnt concern them the Muslims will backfire that will result in some clashes of misunderstanding. Most of the crisis in Nigeria between Muslims and Christians started this way with either ignorant Muslims interfering in issues of Christians or ignorant Christians interfering in muslims.

Trying to preach the teaching of Christians religion will be better for you to your fellow christians that will promote and prevent crimes of any kind nationally and globally.

We should better respect each others religion and avoid interfering in an issue that doesnt concern us at all.

pingu2k5:

If someone comes and starts committing crime in the name of a religion, we cant just mum

and watch when the evil act is done.

Who is Actually committing crime here in the name of religion ?

1. The Pope for not punishing Priests who sleep with peoples children underage ? (I heard

they will arrest him one day in England)

2. Former Christian President Sleeping with his son's wife ? (Or his claims that even Jesus

cannot prevent rigging during election in Nigeria), what an irony for a person studying

Christianity in Open University.

3. The Arik Airline Terrorist wanted to blow up over 100 passengers saying "Jesus sent Him"

4. The Americans Soldiers (Christians) Killing thousands of Iraqi Womens & Children in the

name of Freedom ?

5. Thousands of Christians in the south cheating, raping, kidnapping,robbering, decieving

by 419,scamming (making amazon, paypall, ebay, apple etc to reject Nigerians making

transactions oline), cocaine trafficking, (One to contest for Senator recently caught

red handed with cocaine, while one recently shot dead at Poland, many either executed

orarrested in Chinas prisons), not mentioning what Christians women doing in Italy !

6. Or The Yerima alleged to married 13 years old girl by following his religious right ?

What actually you want to point out to us here ? or are you clueless ? we are not outdated,

why not make some homework next time first before replying.

May God remove the veils covering the hearts of (some Christians) men so that they may

understand.

tpia.:

why is it worrying you?

will having it in other languages put more milk in your tea?

Nothing is worrying bro.

@ tpia,

Kai soko, in baka sani ba kai shiru , I still looking for answers,

Point I want to make here is, this people really realized something with that language, its culture of something else, wanted to see if anybody know that, am not jealosing it, I like it, but why not the rest.

1000 Years Of Carnage & Barbarity In The Name Of Christ : Sodomy With Children !

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-428374.99999.html

Why Christians are too much worrying when a Muslim (not a Christian) practiced his religious right ? This guy is not a Christian, so nothing to worry about, besides his religion (Islam) give him the right to do that (and you don't belong to that religion).

That's not actually the point I want to make, we really have some very big hypoctrite christians who don't ever consult their bible or may be don't even go to church at all but claiming to be Christians, (Many of them in Nairaland the recents post revealed that).

Whenever anything pop up(regarding Muslims in this country), without any critical study, the start calling names Islam, Muslim, Hausa, North blah blah,

It is the act of ignorance or insanity to start posting something that you don't believe in it,none of your business, you can't do anything about, but just keep on spending your time on it. We have a very good and respectful Christians here in Nairaland who really respect others faith/religion, whom they can't waste thier time posting or even abusing people with the different faith, they only post on what they knowledge on.

I can't generalize Christians and just start saying they are all bad, idiots or morrons, for what reason?, for the action of just one guy or just very few?, No.

When suspected Mutallab claimed (mind you not proven yet) to bomb American Airline, I have of course seen alot of posts not abusing him alot, but Muslim in general alot of christians claiming that's the nature of Muslims in Nigeria (Don't generalize please!).

I was suprised when I see very few post when same thing happened with the Christian Arik Terrorist trying to blow up Arik some months back, where alot of Christians (may be due to selfishness/double standard) refused to call him a Terrorist.

Some claiming to be Muslims here saying they were embarassed ? For what ? Shame on you for not at least knowing the "Serah" of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), shame on you once again, a disgrace to muslims society to have people like you that either neglect the teaching of the Prophet or ignore the Islamic history, (If you are really who you are, better go back to any nearby Islamic class and learn historical Islamic teaching and life of the Prophet).

If I may ask, who do you think actually spoiled or tarnish the image of Nigeria outside? We have very large of Christians some living legally while others not doing nothing but 419, "yahoo yahoo", scamming, drug trafficking, countless crimes in European countries, America, Asia etc, lots of them living with us here in Nigeria, are you trying to tell me that most of them are Muslims ? (God forbid, think twice).

Back to business, nothing wrong with Yerimas action, I will say that Miliion times (many posts have cleared that, it is part of the Muslim sunnah, period).

I am proud to be a Muslim, and I will die as a Muslim "Wala tamu tunna illa wa antum Muslimun". I respect and follow the teaching of the Prophet (S.A.W), and Qur'an is my Sharia guidance, I believe in it, reading it all the time, memorizing it of course, (Can any of you claim to memorized Bible?, if there is any let me know in the next post, mind you alot of our children memorized Qur'an, for the bible google it and copy n paste, I never heard about, try to tell if you know one).

Why can't you ask yourself, why with all these talks (globally) Islam is still the past and growing religion in American and Western europe (google it for it for yourself, i don sabi copy n paste).

It is just nonesense to talk, talk and talk in something you don't have knowledge on it, you can't stop, infact you can't do anything about it except fallacible comments and pretending to know something about the religion, while you know nothing.

One moment please, let me ask some of you, how many of you really study your bible at home, or do you always needs your pastor to explain it for you. It is quite hypocritical to criticize the marriage of Yerima without consulting your pastor to discuss Joseph Marry's husband, he was 90 years old when he married 12 to 14 years old marry ! (Catholitic Encylopedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08504a.htm). Also why not to check and clarify with your pastor on Mathew 1:24b -25).

Why not at least consult your bible before posting rubbish on somebody's religion not even knowing you have similar case in yours, shame on you ! And better think twice next time when intending to post such negative comments.

Finally, you for the record, the Yerima's alleged marriage to an underage is more honourable than the disgraceful and ungodly event in churches in Europe, America and Africa where Christians Priests were involved in sodomy, gay, defilling of young male children, adultery with people's wife and and fornication with people's daughter, pederasty and Nuns are also known for lesbianism, masturbation, and flings with fellow labourers in the vineyard. There was also the case of a former Nigerian Christian President involve in executive incest by going to bed with his son's wife. All these are inconsistent and unacceptable tendencies in our Islamic cultural heritage. Sharia is here to stay among Muslims.

Thanks.

Hi,

Am clueless to why there is Special (International) Hausa Radio channel in England (BBC World Service), Germany (Dutch Welle), China (Hausa Radio) and now France (Hausa RFI) ? not mentioning Libya, Iran and some other countries, why not the other Nigerian tribes e.g. Yoruba, Igbo etc.

Anybody with the clue ?

@ Frosbel,

As long as you cannot be objective, fair and stop showing your hatred on anything "Islam", you will always miss the point, because I have gone through your post, seems nobody is buying your idea, simply because, you disagree to agree that thousands and top financial/banking researchers have already done with this issue of "Islamic Banking" and accepted it long before, so may be if I will suggest you better focus your debates on those currently using the system in those countries, because all I know, and everybody will agree with me that YOU are not as smart and intelligent as those dudes who accepted the system, your only problem here is that you continue to blindly oppose anything in the name of "Islam" that is just the fact.

@ All

Shut d , fu, k up !

Why are you blaming him, shame on you all, instead of finding out, and at least request for pics of the girl, 13 years old, what'd there? Besides she is Egyptian, not Nigerian, so you people just pop up with sort of nonsense and start accusing him for nothing. I still wonder why people will not think at all before posting something here. His religion give him right to do that, and you have different faith/believe with his religion, so why the blame.

And unfortunate some go to the extend of start using abusive words to Islam/Muslims, something we hate to see in Nairaland.

Please for the sake of mutual understanding of people/religious right, you better stop that. May be you can talk when you see the pics and found out that it happened to be a very small girls or something like that.

We all wholeheartedly condemned any form of terrorist act done by anybody Muslim or Christian, it is now the right time to accept what this dude did as a terrorist act believe it or not.

Terrorism is everywhere ! Don't blame only the Muslims o, Christians have terrorism history and have been doing it for long, not just a new thing, a little study will reveal this to you (@ Frosbel).

I still wonder how one will disagree with the facts that, whether terorist act was done in the name of Christ or Allah is still Terrorism or not.

You would really suprised that some of the Christian terrorist group has been accused of forcefully converting people to Christianity in some countries.

Anyway, since it seems you guy (@Frosbel) wants to play with facts, lets see,

1. Christian terrorism is religious terrorism by groups or individuals, the motivation for which is typically rooted in an idiosyncratic interpretation of the Bible and other Christian tenets of faith. Christian terrorists draw upon Christian scripture and theology to justify violent political activities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_terrorism

2. Don't forget recently Christian Terrorist Cells was found in USA, Read more http://www.commonplacebook.com/current_events/politics/christian_terro.shtm

3. FBI Raids Christian Terrorist Groups in Three States
http://lezgetreal.com/?p=29893 or visit
http://stupidevilbastard.com/2010/03/michigan-based-christian-terrorist-group-raided-by-the-fbi/

4. I guess at a point you are asking whether biblical verses are there that guides this guy to kills , yeah why not,

"We believe that one day, as prophecy says, there will be an Anti-Christ. All christians must know this and prepare, just as Christ commanded. Luke 22:35-37, And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.” 36, Then he said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 37, “For I say to you that this which is written must be accomplished in me: ‘And He was numbered with transgressors,’ For the things concerning Me have an end.” This clearly states the reason for the training and preparation of the Hutaree Christian Terrorist Group.

5. I am following any form terrorist act news as you do, but I never differentiate terrorism act at all, so believe it or not as we have Mutallab (Muslim) so we have a Christian Terrorist, he is not mad, idoit, as nairalanders calls him, he has a vision or mission from Jesus tha's what he said period.

6. Hey dude, I will leave you here to review some list of present Christians Terrorist Group in the world, so you should know not only Al-Qaeda doing it along,

List of self-professed Christian terrorist organizations
- Klux Klan (A racist Protestant Christian organization. )
- The Order (1980s-present)
- Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA) (1986-present)
- Irish National Liberation Army
- Irish Republican Army (IRA) (1916-present)
- Loyalist Volunteer Force (disbanded)
- Orange Volunteers
- Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) (1969-present)
- Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) (1997-present)
- Ulster Defence Association (UDA) (1971-present)
- Red Hand Defenders (1998-present)
- Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) (May 1966-present)
- Lord's Resistance Army (Christian/Pagan/Muslim) (1987-present) (Uganda)
- Nagaland Rebels (1948-present) (Nagaland)

7. Finally, I wish to see in your next post (homework) proofs that Christians Terrorist Group does not exisit, or we don't have one in Nigeria. Already one terrorist shows himself up.

We all wholeheartedly condemned any form of terrorist act done by anybody Muslim or Christian, it is now the right time to accept what this dude did as a terrorist act believe it or not.

Terrorism is everywhere ! Don't blame only the Muslims o, Christians have terrorism history and have been doing it for long, not just a new thing, a little study will reveal this to you (@ Frosbel).

I still wonder how one will disagree with the facts that, whether terorist act was done in the name of Christ or Allah is still Terrorism or not.

You would really suprised that some of the Christian terrorist group has been accused of forcefully converting people to Christianity in some countries.

Anyway, since it seems you guy (@Frosbel) wants to play with facts, lets see,

1. Christian terrorism is religious terrorism by groups or individuals, the motivation for which is typically rooted in an idiosyncratic interpretation of the Bible and other Christian tenets of faith. Christian terrorists draw upon Christian scripture and theology to justify violent political activities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_terrorism

2. Don't forget recently Christian Terrorist Cells was found in USA, Read more http://www.commonplacebook.com/current_events/politics/christian_terro.shtm

3. FBI Raids Christian Terrorist Groups in Three States
http://lezgetreal.com/?p=29893 or visit
http://stupidevilbastard.com/2010/03/michigan-based-christian-terrorist-group-raided-by-the-fbi/

4. I guess at a point you are asking whether biblical verses are there that guides this guy to kills , yeah why not,

"We believe that one day, as prophecy says, there will be an Anti-Christ. All christians must know this and prepare, just as Christ commanded. Luke 22:35-37, And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.” 36, Then he said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 37, “For I say to you that this which is written must be accomplished in me: ‘And He was numbered with transgressors,’ For the things concerning Me have an end.” This clearly states the reason for the training and preparation of the Hutaree Christian Terrorist Group.

5. I am following any form terrorist act news as you do, but I never differentiate terrorism act at all, so believe it or not as we have Mutallab (Muslim) so we have a Christian Terrorist, he is not mad, idoit, as nairalanders calls him, he has a vision or mission from Jesus tha's what he said period.

6. Hey dude, I will leave you here to review some list of present Christians Terrorist Group in the world, so you should know not only Al-Qaeda doing it along,

List of self-professed Christian terrorist organizations
- Klux Klan (A racist Protestant Christian organization. )
- The Order (1980s-present)
- Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA) (1986-present)
- Irish National Liberation Army
- Irish Republican Army (IRA) (1916-present)
- Loyalist Volunteer Force (disbanded)
- Orange Volunteers
- Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) (1969-present)
- Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) (1997-present)
- Ulster Defence Association (UDA) (1971-present)
- Red Hand Defenders (1998-present)
- Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) (May 1966-present)
- Lord's Resistance Army (Christian/Pagan/Muslim) (1987-present) (Uganda)
- Nagaland Rebels (1948-present) (Nagaland)

7. Finally, I wish to see in your next post (homework) proofs that Christians Terrorist Group does not exisit, or we don't have one in Nigeria. Already one terrorist shows himself up.

So May b Al-Qaeda hired that Calabar Christian to blast Arik with his Car, who knows, I suspect that, A bloody Christian Terrorist wanted to kill more than 200 innocent civilians for nothing, saying Jesus Sent Him ! don't you hear that ,


Better wake up, we have plenty of these Terrorist Christian supported by CAN at Pleateau,

I wonder they planted that bomb, those Christian terrorist can do more than that.

Re read,

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the Old Testament:

The Qur’an mentions in Surah Al-Araf chapter 7 verse 157:

"Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own (scriptures) in the law and the Gospel".

1. MUHAMMAD (PBUH) PROPHESISED IN THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY:

Almighty God speaks to Moses in Book of Deuteronomy chapter 18 verse 18:

"I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and I will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him."

The Christians say that this prophecy refers to Jesus (pbuh) because Jesus (pbuh) was like Moses (pbuh). Moses (pbuh) was a Jew, as well as Jesus (pbuh) was a Jew. Moses (pbuh) was a Prophet and Jesus (pbuh) was also a Prophet.

If these two are the only criteria for this prophecy to be fulfilled, then all the Prophets of the Bible who came after
Moses (pbuh) such as Solomon, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Malachi, John the Baptist, etc. (pbut) will
fulfill this prophecy since all were Jews as well as prophets.

However, it is Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who is like Moses (pbuh):

i) Both had a father and a mother, while Jesus (pbuh) was born miraculously without any male intervention.

[Mathew 1:18 and Luke 1:35 and also Al-Qur'an 3:42-47]

ii) Both were married and had children. Jesus (pbuh) according to the Bible did not marry nor had children.

iii) Both died natural deaths. Jesus (pbuh) has been raised up alive. (4:157-158)

Muhammad (pbuh) is from among the brethren of Moses (pbuh). Arabs are brethren of Jews. Abraham (pbuh) had two sons: Ishmail and Isaac (pbut). The Arabs are the descendants of Ishmail (pbuh) and the Jews are the descendants of Isaac (pbuh).

Words in the mouth:

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was unlettered and whatever revelations he received from Almighty God he repeated them verbatim.

"I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him."

[Deuteronomy 18:18]

iv) Both besides being Prophets were also kings i.e. they could inflict capital punishment. Jesus (pbuh) said, "My kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36).

v) Both were accepted as Prophets by their people in their lifetime but Jesus (pbuh) was rejected by his
people. John chapter 1 verse 11 states, "He came unto his own, but his own received him not."

iv) Both brought new laws and new regulations for their people. Jesus (pbuh) according to the Bible did not bring any new laws. (Mathew 5:17-18).

2. It is Mentioned in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 18:19

"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not harken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."

3. Muhammad (pbuh) is prophesised in the book of Isaiah:

It is mentioned in the book of Isaiah chapter 29 verse 12:

"And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned."

When Archangel Gabrail commanded Muhammad (pbuh) by saying Iqra - "Read", he replied, "I am not learned".

4. prophet Muhammad (pbuh) mentioned by name in the old testament:

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is mentioned by name in the Song of Solomon chapter 5 verse 16:

"Hikko Mamittakim we kullo Muhammadim Zehdoodeh wa Zehraee Bayna Jerusalem."

"His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters
of Jerusalem."

In the Hebrew language im is added for respect. Similarely im is added after the name of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) to make it Muhammadim. In English translation they have even translated the name of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as "altogether lovely", but in the Old Testament in Hebrew, the name of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is yet present.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the New Testament:

Al-Qur'an Chapter 61 Verse 6:

"And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said, 'O Children of Israel! I am the messenger of Allah (sent) to you, confirming the Law (which came) before me and giving glad tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmed.' But when he came to them with clear signs, they said, 'This is evident sorcery!' "

All the prophecies mentioned in the Old Testament regarding Muhammad (pbuh) besides applying to the Jews also hold good for the Christians.

1. John chapter 14 verse 16:
"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever."

2. Gospel of John chapter 15 verse 26:

"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which
proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me."

3. Gospel of John chapter 16 verse 7:

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not
come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you".

"Ahmed" or "Muhammad" meaning "the one who praises" or "the praised one" is almost the translation of the
Greek word Periclytos. In the Gospel of John 14:16, 15:26, and 16:7. The word 'Comforter' is used in the English translation for the Greek word Paracletos which means advocate or a kind friend rather than a comforter.
Paracletos is the warped reading for Periclytos. Jesus (pbuh) actually prophesised Ahmed by name. Even the
Greek word Paraclete refers to the Prophet (pbuh) who is a mercy for all creatures.

Some Christians say that the Comforter mentioned in these prophecies refers to the Holy Sprit. They fail to realise
that the prophecy clearly says that only if Jesus (pbuh) departs will the Comforter come. The Bible states that the
Holy Spirit was already present on earth before and during the time of Jesus (pbuh), in the womb of Elizabeth, and again when Jesus (pbuh) was being baptised, etc. Hence this prophecy refers to none other than Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh).

4. Gospel of John chapter 16 verse 12-14:

"I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is
come, he will guide you unto all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me".

The Sprit of Truth, spoken about in this prophecy referes to none other than Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

NOTE: All quotations of the Bible are taken from the King James Version.

What is Islam?

The name "Islam" simply means "Self-surrender to the Will of God." It is the way of life that all Prophets through out history have taught, from those known in the Western world such as Abraham, Moses and Jesus to those sent to other parts of the earth like Salih, Shu'ayb and Luqman, the African. The last and final Guide was Muhammad, may he be blessed, who lived in sixth century Arabia. A "Muslim,"(i,e. a self surrendered one,) is a follower of this faith. Nearly one in every five persons alive today is a Muslim.

What does Islam teach?

Islam calls humanity to the service of the One, Omnipotent Creator, Who is known as "Allah, " (The Deity) in the Arabic language. It further instructs people on how they may live together in peace and harmony regardless of race, class or beliefs. The unity of purpose brought by all previous religious guides is highlighted as well as traditional morality, the equality of the sexes before God and the virtues of patience and humbleness.

Where do these teachings come from?

Muslims have two major sources from which they derive their religious teachings. The first is a book known as "the Quran," the direct Revelation of God to His last Prophet, the blessed Muhammad. The second source is the collected sayings and pronouncements of the Prophet which are complimentary to the Revelation. These are known as "the Hadith."

What about Muhammad? Who was he?

Muhammad (pbuh) was born in Arabia in the year 570. His father's name was Abdullah and his mother's was Aminah. Abdullah died before his son was born and his mother died when he was yet a small child. He was first placed under the care of his grandfather and then later his uncle, who raised his nephew as his own.

As a boy, Muhammad (pbuh), disliked the prevailing custom of idol worship practiced by his people. How many a night he must have paused to watch the stars and endless plains, while tending his uncle's flocks, and wondered at the real Creator of it all. He shunned the mischief of his fellow youth and soon developed a reputation for honesty, generosity and compassion.

When he was a young man he took employment in the merchant trade and soon distinguished himself for his excellent managerial skills, which resulted in an offer of marriage from his wealthy, widowed employer, the noble lady Khadija. He was 25 and she was 40 when they got married. Their marriage was based upon love friendship and trust

Though time and circumstances had changed as he grew older and wiser, Muhammad (pbuh) still remained restless for the truth and he began to retreat to the solitude which could only be found outside the city of Mecca. He often went to a mountain where he would sometimes spend days thinking and contemplating about God, reality and the Divine way of life. Then on one glorious day, the Almighty revealed words of inspiration to him through His angel, Gabriel. "Read!" the angel commanded him, "Read in the name of your Lord who created man from a clinging embryo, " This was Muhammad (pbuh), for all his truthfulness, patience, piety and spirit, commissioned as the last and final Prophet of God to humanity. Though many trials, tests and triumphs lay ahead of him, he always called people to the service of the One God, to shun myths and idols and to do unto others only what is good and right. He always lived a frugal life, and even after all of Arabia was liberated from the darkness of ignorance, he, as the ruler, still slept on a reed mat and mended his own clothes.

He taught a new standard to people and brought civilization to an area of the world where it had long ago passed by. His lips moved with the Revelation of God and his life put its precepts into practice. Though persecuted by the idol worshipers for thirteen years in Mecca and followed faithfully by the believing citizens of Medina for ten thereafter, he remained unto his death a devoted father, husband, leader and Prophet. He was given the title of "Mercy to the worlds" by God Himself in the Quran and anyone who has studied the details and adventures of his life must necessarily declare the same. This man Muhammad (pbuh) is truly the hero of his age as well as an inspiration to ours.

Do Muslims worship Muhammad like Christians do Christ?

No. Muhammad (pbuh) was only a man among men who received the special favor of God. No true Prophet of God taught that any man must be worshipped, as if any human body could contain the infinite. God instructs us in the Quran about him thus: "Muhammad is no more than Messenger. Many were the Messengers who passed away before him, "(3:144.)

How does Islam compare with Christianity and Judaism?

Islam, or, the Way of Self-Surrender to God, was taught by all Prophets whether their race was Jewish, Chinese, African, Arab or Cheyenne.

Accordingly, Moses, who is regarded as the pivotal figure in Judaism, and Jesus, who is the central personality of Christianity, both taught Islam to their peoples. The teachings of these great Messengers of God did not go unchanged, however, over the centuries, and one can find that many practices, beliefs and customs practiced by the adherents of those faiths today differ from the original purity of their founder's message.

Muhammad (pbuh), simply brought the last installment of self-surrender (Islam) to the world in order to correct earlier corruption in humanity's knowledge of the truth. So if the roots of Judaism and Christianity are the same as Islam, why does Islam seem so exotic and strange?

The problem is two-fold. On the one hand, there are people in the world who claim to be Muslims, but who do not follow the ethical or religious teachings of the faith. Unfortunately, the media has a universal fascination with negative news and a reluctance to highlight the positive. On the other hand, much of what we read and learn about Islam in the west is written, interpreted and presented by those who either know very little about Islam and the Muslim world. or are even hostile towards it.

An even more important area of misunderstanding lies in the basic assumptions about religion that the Western world and the Islamic world make. Because of the West's negative experience with religion, an alternate ideology known as secular-humanism had to be established to allow science, rationalism and free thought to flourish. Islamic civilization, in contrast, never impeded science nor the development of human thought, so a break between secular values and religious ones never occurred. This is why Islam is often mix-labeled "Theocratic." Education and improvements in global awareness, however, are slowly wearing down barriers to understanding, but it will require some effort from all of us to finally reach a point of tolerance and mutual good-will.

Where do Muslims Live?

Muslims live in every country and region on earth from Norway to Malaysia and Morocco to Mexico, Nigeria. Muslims form a large percentage of the population in Russia, China, India, and Eastern Europe.

Some Islamic lands are Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia, Egypt and Nigeria. Arab Muslims form a small minority of the worldwide Muslim population. There are nearly six million Muslims in North America alone. That's more than the population of some states such as Alaska, Nevada and Rhode Island.

How does one become a Muslim?

There are no elaborate rituals or ceremonies to perform to enter Islam (Self-Surrender to God), for Islam is the faith of reason, and therefore it takes an exercise of reason to become a Muslim. Simply by declaring and believing in one's heart the following phrase: "There is no object of devotion save God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God," one thereby is a believer. As a consequence of making this statement sincerely, everything an individual did that was wrong or unethical in his life up to that point, is forgiven by God, no matter what it was. From that moment onwards, the slate is cleared and you begin life again as a new person.

If what we have briefly discussed interests you, please contact us at the address or telephone number below. We would be honored to share our faith and our friendship with you for all things must pass away but the presence of our Lord shall abide forever.

If the above link not working visit http://www.irf.net

@ All

CONGRATULATING AN ATHEIST


Normally, when I meet an atheist, the first thing I like to do is to congratulate him and say, " My special congratulations to you", because most of the people who believe in God are doing blind belief - he is a Christian, because his father is a Christian; he is a Hindu, because his father is a Hindu; the majority of the people in the world are blindly following the religion of their fathers. An atheist, on the other hand, even though he may belong to a religious family, uses his intellect to deny the existence of God; what ever concept or qualities of God he may have learnt in his religion may not seem to be logical to him.

My Muslim brothers may question me, "Zakir, why are you congratulating an atheist?" The reason that I am congratulating an atheist is because he agrees with the first part of the Shahada i.e. the Islamic Creed, ‘La ilaaha’ - meaning ‘there is no God’. So half my job is already done; now the only part left is ‘il lallah’ i.e. ‘BUT ALLAH’ which I shall do Insha Allah. With others (who are not atheists) I have to first remove from their minds the wrong concept of God they may have and then put the correct concept of one true God.


LOGICAL CONCEPT OF GOD


My first question to the atheist will be: "What is the definition of God?" For a person to say there is no God, he should know what is the meaning of God. If I hold a book and say that ‘this is a pen’, for the opposite person to say, ‘it is not a pen’, he should know what is the definition of a pen, even if he does not know nor is able to recognise or identify the object I am holding in my hand. For him to say this is not a pen, he should at least know what a pen means. Similarly for an atheist to say ‘there is no God’, he should at least know the concept of God. His concept of God would be derived from the surroundings in which he lives. The god that a large number of people worship has got human qualities - therefore he does not believe in such a god. Similarly a Muslim too does not and should not believe in such false gods.

If a non-Muslim believes that Islam is a merciless religion with something to do with terrorism; a religion which does not give rights to women; a religion which contradicts science; in his limited sense that non-Muslim is correct to reject such Islam. The problem is he has a wrong picture of Islam. Even I reject such a false picture of Islam, but at the same time, it becomes my duty as a Muslim to present the correct picture of Islam to that non-Muslim i.e. Islam is a merciful religion, it gives equal rights to the women, it is not incompatible with logic, reason and science; if I present the correct facts about Islam, that non-Muslim may Inshallah accept Islam.

Similarly the atheist rejects the false gods and the duty of every Muslim is to present the correct concept of God which he shall Insha Allah not refuse.

(You may refer to my article, ‘Concept of God in Islam’, for more details)


QUR’AN AND MODERN SCIENCE


The methods of proving the existence of God with usage of the material provided in the ‘Concept of God in Islam’ to an atheist may satisfy some but not all.

Many atheists demand a scientific proof for the existence of God. I agree that today is the age of science and technology. Let us use scientific knowledge to kill two birds with one stone, i.e. to prove the existence of God and simultaneously prove that the Qur’an is a revelation of God.

If a new object or a machine, which no one in the world has ever seen or heard of before, is shown to an atheist or any person and then a question is asked, " Who is the first person who will be able to provide details of the mechanism of this unknown object? After little bit of thinking, he will reply, ‘the creator of that object.’ Some may say ‘the producer’ while others may say ‘the manufacturer.’ What ever answer the person gives, keep it in your mind, the answer will always be either the creator, the producer, the manufacturer or some what of the same meaning, i.e. the person who has made it or created it. Don’t grapple with words, whatever answer he gives, the meaning will be same, therefore accept it.

SCIENTIFIC FACTS MENTIONED IN THE QUR’AN: for details on this subject please refer to my book, ‘THE QUR’AN AND MODERN SCIENCE – COMPATIBLE OR INCOMPATIBLE?


THEORY OF PROBABILITY


In mathematics there is a theory known as ‘Theory of Probability’. If you have two options, out of which one is right, and one is wrong, the chances that you will chose the right one is half, i.e. one out of the two will be correct. You have 50% chances of being correct. Similarly if you toss a coin the chances that your guess will be correct is 50% (1 out of 2) i.e. 1/2. If you toss a coin the second time, the chances that you will be correct in the second toss is again 50% i.e. half. But the chances that you will be correct in both the tosses is half multiplied by half (1/2 x 1/2) which is equal to 1/4 i.e. 50% of 50% which is equal to 25%. If you toss a coin the third time, chances that you will be correct all three times is (1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2) that is 1/8 or 50% of 50% of 50% that is 12½%.

A dice has got six sides. If you throw a dice and guess any number between 1 to 6, the chances that your guess will be correct is 1/6. If you throw the dice the second time, the chances that your guess will be correct in both the throws is (1/6 x 1/6) which is equal to 1/36. If you throw the dice the third time, the chances that all your three guesses are correct is (1/6 x 1/6 x 1/6) is equal to 1/216 that is less than 0.5 %.

Let us apply this theory of probability to the Qur’an, and assume that a person has guessed all the information that is mentioned in the Qur’an which was unknown at that time. Let us discuss the probability of all the guesses being simultaneously correct.

At the time when the Qur’an was revealed, people thought the world was flat, there are several other options for the shape of the earth. It could be triangular, it could be quadrangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, spherical, etc. Lets assume there are about 30 different options for the shape of the earth. The Qur’an rightly says it is spherical, if it was a guess the chances of the guess being correct is 1/30.

The light of the moon can be its own light or a reflected light. The Qur’an rightly says it is a reflected light. If it is a guess, the chances that it will be correct is 1/2 and the probability that both the guesses i.e the earth is spherical and the light of the moon is reflected light is 1/30 x 1/2 = 1/60.

Further, the Qur’an also mentions every living thing is made of water. Every living thing can be made up of either wood, stone, copper, aluminum, steel, silver, gold, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, oil, water, cement, concrete, etc. The options are say about 10,000. The Qur’an rightly says that everything is made up of water. If it is a guess, the chances that it will be correct is 1/10,000 and the probability of all the three guesses i.e. the earth is spherical, light of moon is reflected light and everything is created from water being correct is 1/30 x 1/2 x 1/10,000 = 1/60,000 which is equal to about .0017%.



The Qur’an speaks about hundreds of things that were not known to men at the time of its revelation. Only in three options the result is .0017%. I leave it upto you, to work out the probability if all the hundreds of the unknown facts were guesses, the chances of all of them being correct guesses simultaneously and there being not a single wrong guess. It is beyond human capacity to make all correct guesses without a single mistake, which itself is sufficient to prove to a logical person that the origin of the Qur’an is Divine.


CREATOR IS THE AUTHOR OF THE QUR’AN


The only logical answer to the question as to who could have mentioned all these scientific facts 1400 years ago before they were discovered, is exactly the same answer initially given by the atheist or any person, to the question who will be the first person who will be able to tell the mechanism of the unknown object. It is the ‘CREATOR’, the producer, the Manufacturer of the whole universe and its contents. In the English language He is ‘God’, or more appropriate in the Arabic language, ‘ALLAH’.


QUR’AN IS A BOOK OF SIGNS AND NOT SCIENCE


Let me remind you that the Qur’an is not a book of Science, ‘S-C-I-E-N-C-E’ but a book of Signs ‘S-I-G-N-S’ i.e. a book of ayaats. The Qur’an contains more than 6,000 ayaats, i.e. ‘signs’, out of which more than a thousand speak about Science. I am not trying to prove that the Qur’an is the word of God using scientific knowledge as a yard stick because any yardstick is supposed to be more superior than what is being checked or verified. For us Muslims the Qur’an is the Furqan i.e. criteria to judge right from wrong and the ultimate yardstick which is more superior to scientific knowledge.

But for an educated man who is an atheist, scientific knowledge is the ultimate test which he believes in. We do know that science many a times takes ‘U’ turns, therefore I have restricted the examples only to scientific facts which have sufficient proof and evidence and not scientific theories based on assumptions. Using the ultimate yardstick of the atheist, I am trying to prove to him that the Qur’an is the word of God and it contains the scientific knowledge which is his yardstick which was discovered recently, while the Qur’an was revealed 1400 year ago. At the end of the discussion, we both come to the same conclusion that God though superior to science, is not incompatible with it.


SCIENCE IS ELIMINATING MODELS OF GOD BUT NOT GOD


Francis Bacon, the famous philosopher, has rightly said that a little knowledge of science makes man an atheist, but an in-depth study of science makes him a believer in God. Scientists today are eliminating models of God, but they are not eliminating God. If you translate this into Arabic, it is La illaha illal la, There is no god, (god with a small ‘g’ that is fake god) but God (with a capital ‘G’).

Surah Fussilat:

"Soon We will show them our signs in the (farthest) regions (of the earth), and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth. Is it not enough that thy Lord doth witness all things?"

[Al-Quran 41:53]

Reference: http://www.irf.net/irf/comparativereligion/index.htm

@ Jhonokon

This modern society get use to music and songs, despite the fact that listening to them is haram in Islam, these things psychologically affects muslims from listening or reading the Holy Qur'an. Unfortunately, Muslims youth are use to music everywhere, schools, homes etc.

I recently realised that those of Muslims who busy themselves with listening to musics of any kinds (from various media: mobile,cds, mp3, laptops) and are use to it. They won't have time to study, read the Holy Qur'an on their own, and whenever you put it where they are present they will tell you, you better stop it, because noise/talks is going on, and Islam prevents playing / reading Qur'an while noice/talks is going on, or they will use any sort of excuse. Infact, their heart will gradually start disliking sounds of Qur'an, but they cannot verbally tell you to stop the Reading / Playing it, but alot of friends tell me that and I noticed it too, those of Muslims youth who are music lovers don't have time for Qur'an anymore, except in the mosque where it has to be recited whether they like it there or not. This is my view.

I will appreciate comments from Muslims who know this is happening.


For more details regarding whether listening to Music is haram or not visit http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/5000/listening%20to%20music

@ Ademlabi,

Let the know the following:

1. Good price for Honda Civic SI 2009 Full Option http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/2010-honda-civic-si-u-k-market#2

2. Good price for Golf 4 http://autotraderblog.co.uk/2008/08/04/new-2009-volkswagen-golf-pictures-and-your-verdict/

Finally, the prices of the 2 above cars not full option.

Thanks.

I see,

Thank God finally, he withdrew his case, so please lets move on and discuss better political future of our dear country Naija.

Bravo to Nairalanders.

Thank God finally, he withdrown his case, so please lets move on and discuss better political future of dear our country Naija.

Bravo to Nairalanders.

@ Frosbel,

We all wholeheartedly condemned any form of terrorist act done by anybody Muslim or Christian, it is now the right time to accept what this dude did as a terrorist act believe it or not.

Terrorism is everywhere ! Don't blame only the Muslims o, Christians have terrorism history and have been doing it for long, not just a new thing, a little study will reveal this to you (@ Frosbel).

I still wonder how one will disagree with the facts that, whether terorist act was done in the name of Christ or Allah is still Terrorism or not.

You would really suprised that some of the Christian terrorist group has been accused of forcefully converting people to Christianity in some countries.

Anyway, since it seems you guy (@Frosbel) wants to play with facts, lets see,

1. Christian terrorism is religious terrorism by groups or individuals, the motivation for which is typically rooted in an idiosyncratic interpretation of the Bible and other Christian tenets of faith. Christian terrorists draw upon Christian scripture and theology to justify violent political activities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_terrorism

2. Don't forget recently Christian Terrorist Cells was found in USA, Read more http://www.commonplacebook.com/current_events/politics/christian_terro.shtm

3. FBI Raids Christian Terrorist Groups in Three States
http://lezgetreal.com/?p=29893 or visit
http://stupidevilbastard.com/2010/03/michigan-based-christian-terrorist-group-raided-by-the-fbi/

4. I guess at a point you are asking whether biblical verses are there that guides this guy to kills , yeah why not,

"We believe that one day, as prophecy says, there will be an Anti-Christ. All christians must know this and prepare, just as Christ commanded. Luke 22:35-37, And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.” 36, Then he said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 37, “For I say to you that this which is written must be accomplished in me: ‘And He was numbered with transgressors,’ For the things concerning Me have an end.” This clearly states the reason for the training and preparation of the Hutaree Christian Terrorist Group.

5. I am following any form terrorist act news as you do, but I never differentiate terrorism act at all, so believe it or not as we have Mutallab (Muslim) so we have a Christian Terrorist, he is not mad, idoit, as nairalanders calls him, he has a vision or mission from Jesus tha's what he said period.

6. Hey dude, I will leave you here to review some list of present Christians Terrorist Group in the world, so you should know not only Al-Qaeda doing it along,

List of self-professed Christian terrorist organizations
- Klux Klan (A racist Protestant Christian organization. )
- The Order (1980s-present)
- Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA) (1986-present)
- Irish National Liberation Army
- Irish Republican Army (IRA) (1916-present)
- Loyalist Volunteer Force (disbanded)
- Orange Volunteers
- Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) (1969-present)
- Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) (1997-present)
- Ulster Defence Association (UDA) (1971-present)
- Red Hand Defenders (1998-present)
- Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) (May 1966-present)
- Lord's Resistance Army (Christian/Pagan/Muslim) (1987-present) (Uganda)
- Nagaland Rebels (1948-present) (Nagaland)

7. Finally, I wish to see in your next post (homework) proofs that Christians Terrorist Group does not exisit, or we don't have one in Nigeria. Already one terrorist shows himself up.