For Muslims, the greatest attack to our faith is for anyone to even attempt to bring the name of the holy prophet Muhammad (SAW) to disrepute. Or cause it, through inappropriateness, to be lampooned. It is a transgression for which many Muslims can go to war, for to attack the person of the holy prophet is to attack the very foundations of the Islamic faith.
Rahama Sadau is no stranger to public angst. In fact, I believe she sometimes enjoy the reproach and anger. To her, it’s perhaps a way of testing her popularity and general acceptance? This time though, she appears to have bitten more than she can chew because her choice to dress in ways not in consonance with the teachings of her faith led to so heated a banter that it provided loose-mouths the opportunity to insult the holy prophet. That’s not acceptable. Although, I don’t hold brief for the young lady and her choices, I can say here without mincing words that she never set out to cause the name of the prophet to be injured. Anyone familiar with the excesses of Twitter users should ordinarily just dismiss those ignorant insults and move on.
Unfortunately, that appears not to be the case as Rahama Sadau has been elevated to the status of a religious outcasts and this is shocking to say the least. if the religion of Islam revers the prophet (SAW) because his life and times are the very demonstration of our faith, then how comes even the teary-eyed and obviously remorseful apologies of Rahana Sadau, and even her unequivocal denouncement of the comments that appear to blaspheme the prophet have failed to placate a section of our Muslim brothers? Isn’t the prophet the very model of forgiveness, piety and peace again?
If we truly hold our prophet with the high esteem we lead people to believe, shouldn’t we be praying for her to change rather than calling for her head? Exactly who made us into Allah’s gatekeepers, to pass judgement freely on his repentant servants when even Allah SWT has made it clear that all his servants who err and come before him in repentance and remorse shall be forgiven, because he’s a most merciful and oft forgiven God.
Before Rahama, we had Fateema Ganduje – daughter of a certain governor in a Northern state who bared it all in her wedding shoot. What quality of outrage greeted that aberration in a state legendary for some of the toughest Hisbah corps? All through the pockets of condemnation, not even once did anyone demand any apologies from her, neither did she deem it fit to give one. She simply didn’t give a damn and her politically exposed father didn’t even bother to speak to the rants. Needless to say, the dissents fizzled out almost immediately.
Fatima Ribadu had the presence of mind to apologize, but not before first insulting our sensibilities by telling us that her skin which we all saw glittering through the see through dress and even the cleavage were all illusions. That what we thought we saw was a cling to skin inner cloth that appeared like her skin. But, we accepted her apologies and urged her on, to go and sin no more. Why then are we so unbearably unforgiving of Rahama? But, to even speak frankly on the matter, does Rahama need our forgiveness? Why then are calls for her head so persistently unrelenting?
The answer is in the Stockholm syndrome. While we actively participate in cheering our oppressors on, we are very intolerant of our kind, those from humble backgrounds like us, especially those among them who appear to be breaking even. It’s as though we are helping our oppressors to envy the modest achievements of these people who for one reason or the other are trying to measure up. For this, we are poised to bring them down on behalf of the unblemished oppressors and their wards and estate. I think it is mighty hypocritical of us who love watching female Indian actors dressed in barebacks and open hair to come at an actress who aspires to be as her foreign counterparts of Zee World who we fawn over. Rahama Sadau has become the picture of the enemy because she dared to think herself among the elites, in behaviour, outlook, gait, style and mannerism. A nobody who was made from the chants and endorsements of the poor trying to usurp the establishment? Unbearable.
The above will explain why for instance, Fatima Ribadu’s apologies, despite the fact it was wrapped disdainfully in a box of complete insult to our sensibilities for which her father’s and possibly her husband’s estate will still benefit, was accepted without question, but Rahama’s, we want to put at par with Charley Hebdo’s blasphemous depictions that have found favour with th the Emmanuel Macarons of this world. Don’t we find this sickening to even imagine? I have listened to plenty talk of her becoming a perpetual offender, but ain’t we all? Is that not exactly why the almighty has enjoined us to always come before him in repentance?
I think we are beginning to give ourselves too much God powers and it’s high time the Ulamas start working to change our mindset. This predisposition is dangerous to ourselves and even our faith. Our Muslim brothers and sisters should first know that forgiveness comes from Allah and the most high sees the heart of his/her servants. The moment Miss Sadau took that public stand to apologize and denounce any injurious statements on the holy prophet from people for whom the dead horse will no longer labour, the matter should naturally have been put to rest. This hypocrisy of condemning people whose true reckoning is with their lord when many of us sin daily and ask for forgiveness is becoming too old and too toxic.
I urge our people to let the young lady make peace with her Lord and seek him earnestly. We should, help to pray that she finds her way back to the true path instead of pushing her further away from the religion and by so doing, demarketing the religion as an intolerant faith. We learnt that the prophet’s nature, disposition, mannerisms, soft and empathetic speech and good deeds were enough to help so many undecided unbelievers ditch their old religions and accept Islam. This should be enough Nasiha to for all of us who always rush to condemn people. Let the worldly punishment from Kannywood and other professional bodies be sufficient for the here and now. The hereafter will take care of itself.
Kana writes from Abuja.
