By Abdul-Rahman Baban Saibo
The
month of Zulhijja is amongst the Holy months which are celebrated in Islam. It
is ordained by the scriptures of the Holy Qur’an that all Muslims must accord
to the sacrifices and also to commemorate the historical spiritual struggles
associated with Prophet Ibrahim (AS). These celebrated events aid in bringing
the Muslim Ummah together in unison, in humility and in total submission to the
Oneness and will of Allah (SWT), thus, the act is known as the ‘Hajj’
(Pilgrimage). [Surah22: Hajj; 27-34] profoundly explains how and why the
Muslims should celebrate this Holy month.
The
Hajj being the fourth of the five pillars of the faith of every Muslim believer
is ordained to be performed only in the Holy lands of Makka (Mecca) –by those
whom are opportune to do so. Nonetheless, the conglomeration of the multitudes
of Muslim believers during this event grows by the year, as a result of which
incidents do occur which results to deaths and sometimes fatal injuries –of which
are mostly inevitable. To clarify, when I speak of inevitable incidents that
could cause injuries and deaths, I mean not manmade accidents, but God
‘allowed’ accidents –which more often than not results to very minimal shocks,
and sometimes even none!
The
death of thousands of Muslims which occurred during this year’s pilgrimage 1436
AH, is certainly a most staggering and remorseful loss which cannot be tallied
with none in recent times. We have learnt that in recent times accidents did
happen during the Hajj but it is gravely unfortunate that we often hear the
Saudis and the Muslim Ummah affiliate the deaths to Allah by saying “it is the
will of God”, a certain censured statement by the Holy Qur’an-[Surah4:
an-Nisa’; 78-79] says, “Where ever you
may be, death will overtake you even if you should be within towers of lofty
construction. But if good comes to them, they say “this is from Allah”; and if
evil befalls them they say “this is from you”. Say to them “all is from Allah”.
So what is (wrong) with these people that they cannot understand any statement?”-“What comes to you of good is from Allah but
what comes to you of evil (O man) is from yourself (as a result of your
mistakes or sins)… then certainly we cannot relate in anyways possible the incidents
that happen almost every year during Hajj to good –and certainly not to Allah.
But
Islam is a religion of knowledge. It is the only religion known to mankind that
commands the believer to know his lord before he engages in His worship. The
first of the seven conditions of accepting the Kalima-ashhahada is “knowledge”
and to which the second is “certainty”. To justify that, Allah’s first
revelation to the Prophet (SAW) was “Read
(recite) in the name of your Lord who created.” [Surah96: al-Alaq; 1]. With
this I earnestly ask, ‘who could be the mushrik?’ the one who knows and
justifies his criticism of the Saudis with certain facts or the one who doesn’t
know –doesn’t even wish to know, the ill acts and deeds of the Saudis and their
Government? As for those who don’t know, I believe they aren’t doing but going
parallel to the commandments of their Lord.
Albeit
some would argue that the death of a Muslim in the course of the Holy rituals
of Hajj is the most soothing manner for one to return to his creator –of which
I have no plausible objection, for the best of deaths, is that which comes in
times whence one is mostly devoted to his creator. But lest I ask, ‘is the
course of Hajj meant for the Muslim to attain to his death at its ends?’ or ‘is
death during Hajj the most cherished act to Allah?’ –answer to both of which is
‘NO’; could one then be blasphemous in out-pointing the negligence,
recklessness and ignorance of the people responsible for these misfortunes? We
must look and regard these unfortunate events that happen during the times of
the pilgrimage for if we don’t, Allah (SWT) Himself will hold us accountable.
It is
of course with a poignant heart that one receives the ill-fated news of the
horrific crane crash in the Masjid al-Haram and the stampede that happened on
the walkways of the Jamarat. Yet still, it is gravely disheartening as one sees
and hears the Muslims clearly being wholly dishonest with themselves. Regretful
as it happens that whenever the Saudis go wrong and a portion of Muslims
criticize the Saudis, some Muslims out of sheer ignorance find it comforting to
swiftly call them Shi’a or sometimes even Kafirs.
The
unfortunate crane crash that resulted to the death of over two hundred people
in the Masjid al-Haram was a clear recklessness by the Saudis. When a thing of
that mass is situated above hundreds of thousands of Hujjajs whilst a raging
wind is violently hovering all around it, a common excuse that “it has been
there for long” will never suffice. Then came the blame-game of the remorseful
deaths of many on the bridge of Jamarat. Despite eye witnesses attesting that
the result of that was caused by the deputy crown prince’s entourage; the
Saudis are yet to affiliate the unfortunate event to him. Rather they chose to
pin the cause of the misfortune on African pilgrims, where others say it’s the
fault of the Iranians who refused to follow instructions. So why do they
conflict in their statements? “O you who
believe, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice (be straight forward
in your speech).”-“He will [then] amend for you your deeds (straighten up your
affairs) and forgive you your sins. And he who obeys Allah and his messenger have
certainly attained a great attainment.” [Surah33-al-Ahzab; 70-71]
In
2006, the collapse of the Al-Ghaza hotel near the Masjid Al-Haram can with all
humility be accepted as Qadr (fate) and although we can’t eliminate man’s own
miscalculations, we could say it is the will of God –but not his making. But a
crane crash and a sequential stampede are never neither the will of God nor His
own making. Reports say over 1200 pilgrims are still missing since the day of
the stampede but the Saudis tells us that the death toll is just a little over
1000. Where is the Islamic honesty and sincere dealing? Denounced are these
deceitful acts and insincere behaviors in Islam. Muslims must learn to tell the
Saudis the truth of their wrong doings in order to awaken the fast slumping
moral, decent and honorable image of their Deen.
Earnest
be told, the Saudis must come to accepting that the Ka’aba and the Holy lands
of Makka and Madina does not belong to them alone, but to the entire Muslim
Ummah. The ways and manners the Saudis take control of the affairs of these
Holy monuments is as if the scriptures of the Quran itself gave them the rights
of their “custodianship”. It is understood that they (the Saudis) dwell within
these sanctified lands, and for that it’s their responsibility to take care of
all that is within it. But, Kaaba, Masjid al-Haram and the entire Holy places
which are required to be visited for rituals during the acts of Hajj belongs to
the Muslims of the world and not to Saudi Arabia! And unless the Saudis learn
to allow the Muslim Ummah take part in organizing and conducting the control of
the ever-growing crowd of people during the acts of Hajj, am afraid, but
manmade accidents will be inevitable, and they must learn to accept blames to
their misdeeds and not toss it toward God. Prophet Yunus (AS), when he
disobeyed the commandments of Allah (SWT) and got swallowed by the whale, he
said “… there is no deity except you [O
Allah]; exalted are you. Indeed, I have been of the wrong doers.” [Surah21-al-Anbiya’;
87] and did not push his woes unto
his Lord.
Today,
these self acclaimed sanctimonious sycophants whom sees neither the Saudis nor
their misdeeds worthy of cautioning for the reasons that the Saudis are the
also self acclaimed “custodians” of the Holy Mosque are not any-less the
enemies of Islam as are the ISIS and the Boko Harams. For what it is, I must
say yes ‘Saudi Arabia is a Holy land, but are the Saudis any Saintly people?’
We must learn to tell our fellow Muslims the truth –no matter the stake; for
who else will guide the Muslim if not his fellow Muslim –especially in this era
whence Islam constantly suffers bombardments?
“O you, who believe, be persistently
standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves
or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of
both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you
distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever,
with what you do, Acquainted.” [Surah4-an-Nisa’; 135] “O you who believe, be persistently standing
out for Allah, [as] witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people
prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear
Allah; indeed, Allah is acquainted with what you do.” [Surah5-al-Ma’idah; 8]
