What block?

I will never understand what a writer's block is. I do understand you may have alot of things you think you want to write, but find that you are unable to write. My current state. Pity, I fancy holding onto a blog for a while.

Never to be late!

Surely, staying away from my blog is not planned. It just happened. Well, no it was caused by NEPA (oh dear me, PHCN), as if I need to justify my reluctance to write the small pieces. But the truth is that Nigeria has become a 'fearful' place. Writing opinions is now a problem. So is holding the opinion in the first place - unless of course you are a 'mouthpiece'. God help us.

Michael 'Mikael' Jackson is DEAD!

My friend is an aspiring publisher. His current spreed sheet 'House of Islam' is already reaching places he did not think it would. The reception is also good. That is why he was so worried he had to confirm if Michael Jackson died a Muslim or not. He had reported the SUN story that the KING OF POP had converted to Islam.

During the whole day the tribute 'memorial' was done for the musician, Ismail was glued to the television set trying to catch any phrase that would suggest to him that the late musician died a Muslim. There was none. I however told him that earlier on I had heared the brother of the dead musician, announing the death of his brother, say: 'Michael, may Allah be with you always' and he was excited. Jarmine (Friday) Jackson is a Muslim. He announced the death of the music superstar on behalf of the Jackson family. Is that confirmation that Michael Jackson died a Muslim?

The CNN which broadcast Jarmine Jackson's announcement, later 'edited' the portion with 'may Allah be with you always' and no reason came up to explain why. Should they have explained? America has its own traditions. One of its traditions is secularim. No religion for the state. No glorification of a religion over another. Yet, would any other faith have kept quite about their own person who passes away? Where is the Nation of Islam? Where is CAIR? Where are the other Islamic Organisations in the United States of America?

Maybe, just maybe, Michael was battling to become a Muslim. However, was that picture of him and Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) and others a flux? Allahu A'alamu

A View on 'Muslim-Converts' et al ...

I made a presentation in Yola this weekend. It was an expression of my views about conversion and how people who embrace Islam may be treated. You will find the complete paper at my other site on the ssrn.com network. However, a few points may be interesting.

I believe managing converts is not an issue. I believe all the people who convert to Islam are Muslims and are obliged to act accordingly. I believe all Muslims owe each other the obligation of treating themselves equally. I know Allah loves those of the highest piety. May we all be alive to our responsibilities.

Christ-like, yes, ... that is what I said!

This morning something pleasant happened to me. I visited my eye doctor to collect my glasses and went through a very interesting encounter. My eye doctor engaged me in a serious discussion on the issue of religion. She was particularly impressed by something about me that made her impression of, her attitude and thinking about Muslims change. She asked me if Muslims believed in Hell and Paradise. I said, we did. She said, meeting me had made her realise that there are some Muslims that MAY go to Paradise. I asked her to explain. She was incoherent, seeing that she was really unable to specify the exact thing about me that changed her thinking about Muslims. May be if I explained the events leading to this morning, I may succeed in conveying my astonishment and pleasant surprise.

I started wearing prescription glasses in 2003. My first set was the only one I picked after a thorough medical examination. So, when the eye started trouble, I had to go and see an eye doctor. I walked into this private clinic and there she was! She examined me and made her prescription. She charged me and showed me a number of frames. I opted for a nondescript piece and made a comment to the effect that I was not interested in a frame for show. As I left the clinic that first day, she asked me my 'denomination' but before I answered, I noticed her hesitation and then she asked if I was a Muslim or a Christan. I said am a Muslim. End of discussion.

The cost of the replacement glasses was something I could afford to pay in two installments. So, after a few days, I was able to make the first installment. She said they were expecting me, and we joked about the possibility of my failing to show up after the examination. I was to return after three days, but I said I may not be able to do so unless I raised the balance. I failed to show up. A week after, I raised the balance, and this morning, I walked back into the eye clinic. I noticed she was reading her bible.

By this time, you expect I would know her name. I still don't know. Today I confirm she is a qualified eye doctor not just a technician. Her interest in me was wonderful. She told me that since she saw me and observed my actions, she told herself I must be a 'good' Muslim. She asked me why Muslims kill other people. She also asked if I believed in Jesus Christ. I told her Muslims do not kill people, but politicians who are Muslims may have political reasons to kill - as in the Twin Towers - but no Muslim kills as a religious belief. I said all Muslims believe in Isa (named Jesus Christ) as an article of faith. I told her any Muslim who does not believe in Jesus Christ is not a Muslim. She said I acted like a Christian. I said I was acting CHRIST-LIKE but I am not a Christan. All Muslims are Christ-like because they submit totally to the will of Allah (arabic name of the Creator of the Universe).

Yes, I told this Christan eye doctor that I am Christ-like, but not a Christian. She agreed I showed something that made her think that some Muslims MAY go to Paradise (after those who call themselves Christian?) because she never believed Muslims were good. She said I changed her thinking in this direction. So, I must live my life the way I do - so that it continues to change people's thinking about Muslims and Islam.

If ...!

'If' reminds me of a novel I read (or was it a movie that I saw?) several years ago. Whichever. It was a futuristic thing contempleting things that would happen that were contingent upon the happening of some other or one thing. It was a thoughtful thing, that novel (or movie).

Today, it is if Obama wins! Obama, the Democratic Presidential candidate in the US elections. Tomorrow. Nov. 4th 2008. Would Americans elect a BLACK President? Would they elect a man likely to have an ear for the ARABS (Muslims?)? How long would the romance last? If, ... yes, if Americans were to elect the first Black President, things will not be the same.

How would they change, ... or refuse to change?

Censorship & Kano: Where Rabo Derailed!

I read his rejoinder to a Leadership newspaper story, also published in the Leadership newspaper. He should not have bothered to write at all. His sentiments are misplaced. I think he was of the view that sympathy will follow. Oh dear, if only we are able to assert that any person, as an individual or in association with others, can force compliance to their views, we would be deviating from the non-compulsion doctrine in Islamic Jurisprudence. Allah never said we could compel compliance. He (SWT) asked us to call with wisdom. Yet, we could choose to do as we pleased when in authority to force compliance.

You should read Rabo's position. He even cited the Hays Code. He failed to say that the Code has since been out of use. He failed to indicate that a subsisting US Supreme Court decision (JOSEPH BURSTYN, Inc. v. WILSON et al.) has since made 'artistic works' in films covered by that country's first amendment in respect of the constitutionally protected freedom of speech.

Rabo should rethink. However, it would appear that the bulk of the convictions which the Kano Censorship Board has obtained at the Magistrates' Courts is on non-compliance to regulations. So, Kano artists, be up to it. Obey the regulations. Challenge those which are unconstitutional. We can do it. Yes we can (ha .. ha... ha).