Sheikh Goni’s murder: NASFAT Missioner condemns act, says sacredness of human life not negotiable in Islam

The Chief Missioner of Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fatih Society, (NASFAT), Imam Abdul-Azeez Onike, has condemned the murder of an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Goni Aisami in Yobe, saying sacredness of human life is not negotiable in Islam

Reacting to the murder of the Islamic cleric, Imam Onike described the dastardly act as a clear demonstration of man’s inhumanity to man and deprivation of Muslims of Islamic scholarship which the murdered Sheikh was reputed to have been endowed with.

“The sacredness of life can be attested to by Allah’s statement in Quran 5:32, “…. he who slays a soul unless it be (in punishment) for murder or for spreading mischief on earth shall be as if he had slain all mankind; and he who saves a life shall be as if he had given life to all mankind”, Onike stated.

Calling on the government to ensure that the perpetrators of the murder of the erudite scholar are brought to book, irrespective of their status, religion or ethnicity, the NASFAT Chief Missioner said it was more painful if someone considers the vacuum and the negative consequences of snuffing life out of the innocent scholar.

According to him, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Verily, Allah does not withhold knowledge by snatching it away from his servants, but rather he withholds knowledge by taking the souls of scholars, until no scholar remains and people follow ignorant leaders. They are asked and they issue judgments without knowledge. Thus, they are astray and lead others astray.”

Onike further said: “Islam places much premium on lives to the extent that the punishment of whoever intentionally takes the life of a person is to have his own life taken when not forgiven by the closest relatives of the person he killed. This punishment will prevent others from committing such dastardly act.

“The essence of the retributive punishments in Islam among others is to promote law and order, serve as deterrence, prevent spread of evil and give relief to the families of the victim who could be tempted to take laws into their hands and avenge the death of their loved one. The punishment is not for revenge or quenching anger”.

Pointing out that the penalties for murder in Islam are both here and in the hereafter, Onike quoted Quran Chapter 4 verse 93, where Allah says: “And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell wherein shall he abide forever, and Allah’s wrath shall be on him and He curses him and prepares for him a mighty punishment”.

“Our failure to judge according to the dictates of our Creator is responsible for some of the acts of man’s inhumanity to man that we are experiencing. Sentencing someone to jail for some offences is not going to give the offenders the deserved punishments as deemed fit by Allah”, the NASFAT Chief Missioner added.

For a better society