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WHY WE ARE PROTESTING:
For the love of Democracy and Humanity! (Part 2)
Let me start by acknowledging what I read in one Editorial which says “We live in a time when it is extremely hard to listen to the opinions of others. The world around us seems to be divided more and more everyday with polarization becoming sharper, and the middle ground splitting under us.
It continues that there are, of course, some very legitimate reasons”.
It is hard to listen to someone accusing you of encouraging social instability, when all you want is to demonstrate on the ongoing ills in the society. Everybody is on the verge of tears, shouting of insecurity, hunger and death as we witnessed distasteful deeds perpetrated in the polity due to bad governance.
Today, we do not even dream of finding a civic way to argue with those who just hate our solidarity, seeking divine justification to stop people from expressing themselves that even qur’an has not decreed against protest.
Since protests are considered to be legitimate constitutionally to voice expression of a view or stand to those whom it may concern as per the norms of our societies, evidence to prove the validity of protests as a valid means from an Islamic perspective would not be a requirement. Rather, protests would be permissible as a default rule from the outset in order to bring awareness to those we elected into governance. As such, the only way for protests to be forbidden in Islam would be via evidence invalidating politics as a permissible activity.
Is participating in protests a form of emulating non-Muslims in practices specific to them, since Islam does not have a history of Muslims protesting?
It is not haram to protest alongside non-Muslims and sinners, if I may add. Rather, attempting such protests to help the oppressed is a way of standing up against oppression. There is great reward in standing up against oppression in Islam.
Accordingly, peaceful and legal protests would be permissible as a default rule in democracy and possibly recommended (mustaḥabb) or even compulsory (wājib) depending on the rule of the objective they seek to attain from a humanistic and political perspective.
So, enough of this analogies on what Islam prescribed on protest. It may be legally recommended (mustaḥabb) or even obligatory (wājib) for one to join non-Muslims on occasion in their external norms, if this begets a religious benefit. Speaking up for justice, equity and good governance is a fundamental principle of Islam.
And yet, there are doubters among the Ulama who are victims of the same propaganda that has led many to accept that the planned protest is uncalled for and are ready to normalise with the govt’s reasoning. Among them are good-hearted people confused by the govt propaganda.
It should be recalled that, even among the companions of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, Allah speaks of those righteous Muslims who were gullible, “avid listeners” to the hardened hypocrites whose agenda was to destroy Islam (Qur’an 9:47).
A primer of Islamic rulings and reflections on the permissibility and even necessity of the intended protests, then, is in order. Even more importantly, everything a believer does is guided by Islamic teachings.
In that spirit, let us capture some of the main Islamic considerations in the following points.
ENJOIN GOOD AND FORBID EVIL.
If, one knows with reasonable assurance that such protests will deliver goods such as an expression of our hearts desire for good governance and of our suffering populace, encouragement for others who are scared to talk and tell truth to power, education for those who are ignorant, and most of all, possible change in policy that could bring about relief, bring to an end kidnappings, then it becomes an obligation to do what we can to support these protests.
FULFILLING THE COLLECTIVE OBLIGATION OF DEFENDING OUR HERITAGE.
When a collective obligation is not being fulfilled like good governance, equity in the distribution of democratic dividends which democracy is supposed to provide, to work toward fulfilling it becomes an individual obligation, and to fail to do one’s part becomes sinful/distasteful.
MAINTAINING ETHICAL ETIQUETTE AND AVOIDING ANYTHING HARMFUL
Thirdly, it is essential to avoid anything harmful, and make your protest a form of daʿawah.
Participating in protests about a righteous cause tends to uplift and empower us but can also induce group-thinking. We have to be extra careful about Allah’s limits. Any illicit actions must be avoided, and what is unavoidable must be kept to a minimum.
LESSON TO THE ULEMAS.
The fear of something new and uncharted should not be overstated, and the possibility of such scenarios should not prevent the planned protest. It was a trick in the bag of the hypocrites, as on the occasion of the Expedition of Tabūk exemplified. This is well captured in Islamic history and Hadith.
The Almighty rejects this false pretension of piety: “Into temptation they have indeed fallen” (9:49). We must note that Courage tempered with Wisdom is a VIRTUE.
The Prophet SAW said, “The believer who mixes with people and patiently endures their harm is better than the one who does not mix with people and endure their harm.”
BIILD INTENTIONAL ALLIANCES.
Fourthly, the participation of non-Muslims in the protest, or even their leadership, neither takes away from the benefit of the protests. It, in fact makes them more effective, so also the reward from Allah for the Muslims who participate.
The Prophet SAW sought and benefited from the help of non-Muslims in Mecca. These non-Muslims’ support for the Prophet was driven by their own natural virtue, sense of justice and loyalty to him they considered Al-Amin.
Participants in these righteous protests are varied: some are not Muslim, or not practicing Muslims, or associated with other objectionable ideas. Still, they are good-hearted Nigerians who are willing to get bullied, beating, locked or lose their jobs, because they are compelled by a noble human impulse to ensure justice, equity and good governance in the polity.
So, why are the Ulemas giving fatwa against protest?
RECOGNISE YOUR RIGHT TO OPPOSE INJUSTICE.
Fifthly, civil disobedience, strikes, and encampments are a recognized and honorable tradition in recent history across the world. From the anti-colonial movements in the Global South to civil rights, anti-apartheid, and other movements. Great injustices such as racial segregation in the US and South African apartheid were all technically lawful until grassroots civil disobedience had them outlawed. Even the holocaust was the fruit of a modern, legal order, which perhaps could have been averted had enough citizens protested in civil disobedience.
Regardless of whether one agrees with their specific causes in every instance, these civic movements generally do not necessarily cause violence, but in fact avert much greater eruptions of violence, civil war, and continuation of murderous policies.
STAY FOCUSED ON THE CAUSE.
Sixth, protest must be led in a direction that is productive, effective, and focused. Avoiding conflict as much as is reasonably possible and ensure that the uniting cause of justice and end to high prices of food stuff and insecurity remain the focus.
Leaders who are well-informed about the cause should assume leadership of the protest, or at least their section of the protest. It is expected that people with ulterior motives and other ideologies will join. They should be appreciated but not be allowed to hijack the protests. Even where goons are hired to sabotage the peaceful protests by falsely claiming harassment, or by attacking the protesters, the purpose of these protests must not be overlooked.
Protest is not meant to destroy the government, the police, to harm anyone, or to destroy private property. Nor is it to cause inconvenience, obstruct passages, roads or take over buildings.
It must be noted that hostile and unconstitutional crackdown may lead students to improvise. Adversaries of democracy may want to cause distraction, divide, and accuse the peaceful protestors. Obviously, adhering to social norms in such gathering will invariably forced many to unite around basic principles of the protest and cause review of government policies.
CONCLUSION.
What unite us with the YOUTH in Nigeria today is that our generation pursued all legitimate means with all our might as we are commanded spiritually and constitutionally, as we may rely ultimately not on our actions, nor on any human power, but on God and government that supported and accepted its responsibility to its citizens. May Allah preserve and bless us, our YOUTH with patience and wisdom and our knowledgable local imams who strive hard to instil Islamic knowledge and discipline into us, amen.
Malam Mohammed Kabir Ilyasu, Chairman Editorial Board of Ebony Herald International Magazine writes from Kaduna Nigeria
29th JULY 2024
