Africa Youth Games unify nation
Dumi Mmualefe | Monday June 9, 2014 18:59
At times politics, whatever they are, tend to blur the national vision of camaraderie to such an extent that we become oblivious of the umbilical cord of mutuality that binds us as a people.
It was a good thing for a moment to rally together and set our political, religious, sexual, ethnic and gender differences aside to enjoy a 10 day period of national unity and joy.
It was good to see His Excellency addressing multitudes with no one thinking of any political mileage, real or perceived.
Unfortunately, the sore point that should not have been, that brought the ugly political differences is the exclusion of the Father of the City the Mayor of Gaborone His Lordship Haskins Nkaigwa.
No matter how the committee may try to justify it, his exclusion at the opening ceremony was wrong and drags the politics of sabotage into an otherwise noble, unifying and well organised event. No matter how eloquently one may try to contradict this, practice across the globe will suggest otherwise. As we celebrated the rare moment of unity, “Our Girls” languished in some inhuman habitat under most frightening and dehumanising circumstances by some ungodly people who can only give a bad name to Islam.
Then there is Mariam Yahya Ibrahim in Sudan whose sin is falling in love with the “wrong person!” Mariam’s situation is telling in terms of how the government of Sudan views women.
Whatever “Islamic” law they used on her it reflects how gender discrimination can be fatal. It is not said that Mariam herself was a Muslim, that does not seem to be in contention. It seems to be agreed that she was raised by a Christian mother, and it does not take any intellect to know that as a Christian, her mother must have raised her to be a Christian.
The problem Mariam Yahya Ibrahim seem to have committed is one she did not have a choice not to commit or otherwise. We are not even told if her mother ever converted to Islam! What we are told, which is the capital sin she committed is being born to a father who happened to be a Muslim consequently this accident of biological history meant that the “strict Islamic laws” would consider her Muslim: just because her father is a Muslim. Would it have been different if the father was Christian?
Most probably yes. Poor Mariam, she is suffering because of the sins of her parents. This gender violence must stop. Why did Boko Haram not abduct boys, what are the chances that this was done among others to satisfy the sexual appetites of the captors?
I listened with a heavy heart as my compatriots fell on Islam like tons of mixed concrete on Breakfast with Reg on Gabz FM. People are very angry and many were abusive of Islam and because of some of these happenings they view this faith as a heartless violent faith!
No matter how much the Imam tried to put his points across and defend the faith people were simply incensed.
Yes this violence must stop and is ungodly, and this is what the Imam kept trying to put across. But the fact is there are people whose actions are pointing in a different direction. But that should not suggest that because some people who profess to be Muslims, who also claim to be more Muslim than others, that Islam is a violent faith.
It is true that it is written in the Holy Qur’an 4:89; “If they turn renegades, seize them and slay them whenever ye find them.” It is also true that it is written in the Holy Bible. To God be the glory.