The Da'wah of Sunnah, in South West Nigeria, prior to 1993 elections was just being birthed so there was almost no agitations that election was anything to go by. The few people in the Sunnah then were busy teaching one another the rudiments of the Sunnah, as meagre as it could be, yet the people were very sincere and serious. It was 'agreed' that democratic politics was an anathema to the Da'wah. Everyone steered clear of it. A Muslim-Muslim ticket won the elections in a landslide, no qualms. Later it was annulled. Yes it pained us, those of us that had not started the Sunnah then, MKO was our man. He was our last hope. Without him, Nigeria would not be better. In fact we protested the annulment, we made bonfires, watched our protesting comrades loot markets and shops (I personally abhorred protesters looting people's properties). May Allaah forgive us. Yet the few people of Sunnah then minded their business and they were all respected.
By 1995, the Sunnah was becoming more pronounced in the communities. People were learning Arabic and were being exposed to the original texts of the classical Islam. The Aqeedah studies might not be profounded yet the people of Sunnah, then, as few as they were, were committed to that Sunnah. It was a military era so everybody minded their business except the NADECO of Abraham Adesanya, Beeko Ransome Kuti, etc. Obviously, no person of Sunnah would align with such people.
Then came the 1999 elections! The North was about to compensate the South West so a president was elected even though he was not the choice of that South West. Their choice was from an agelong clique, we the people of Sunnah, alhamdulilaah we had joined the Good People a couple of years before, knew would do the Muslims no good. So we very much focused on our Deen again.
My people, the problem started prior to 2003 elections, yes that 2003 when Shaykh Mahmood Ja'far was killed in a politics related incident (in 2007 rather)! That was when some Muslim politicians felt they were best to succeed the Christian president. They went round the country to whip up a Muslim sentiment and raise a Muslim awareness.
They discovered that the people of Sunnah in the South West had surged in number, they could be useful. Our leaders were bought, yes bought, as in with cash, raw cash, and the Da'wah changed. I am ready to explode this area if anybody says it is a lie. I will even mention names, Inshaa Allaah.
Since then it has been 'let's vote because of the Muslim cause, so that they will not marginalise us, so that they will not stop us from going to Hajj, so that...so that...'
Alhamdulilaah for those resilient students and teachers of Sunnah that were not swayed by that political claim.
Quite unfortunately that many of these brothers championing 'Sunnah people must vote' today were kids circa 1999-03.
Also quite unfortunate that many of those Sunnah leaders, people that were like the Sahabes then, are now full blown politicians today making give-and-take calculations with Christian politicians today and dragging their young brothers who think they know the Sharee'ah along the ignoble cause.
O Allaah, save us.
So saddening, by Allaah.
Yes, the Muslims have been part of Nigeria politics, and they make a lot of influence on it. We know those kinds of Muslims, we know them. Those Muslims that would make alliances with the non-Muslims for their political benefits. We know them, and you too know them.
So why do you want to join them? Why do you say we should join them?
O Allaah, save us.
O Allaah, save us.
We have said our own o, we will not be tired of saying more of it, Inshaa Allaah.
