By Abu Mazeedatilkhayr Bn Sa’eed.
The recent predicament of the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Malam Isa Pantami, portends a clear warning to all of us. It’s indeed a crucial lesson in dawah activism and public speaking, especially now that words run faster than actions.
There’s hardly any daai’ of twenty five years experience in Nigeria who would not be ashamed of his past radical utterances; and even sometimes, his actions. It wasn’t merely about radical activism that risked one’s life and career; but also some stupid decisions which might haunt one’s prospects in life.
When Pantami was spitting fire to the power and defending the insurgents, democracy was probably the worst kufr he would hardly condone. But years after, he found himself on the lap of a democratic government and his views changed drastically. But his past has continued to haunt him.
This is the situation with most of us. It’s so unfortunate that we did not find those realistic views about life, until much later. Pantami did not actually deny defending the BH, but his flimsy explanation was being a helpless victim of his own youthful exuberance.
Thus, in likewise manner, the early life of some da’wah clerics had been lavished on errors. On account of jaundiced radicalism, some of them had incurred the wrath of their parents early in life. Some had even torn their University certificates at that stage.
Others withdrew from the “kufr system” or got expelled and consequently grew to survive in pain and regret. Worse still, many have perished in the flames of repressive bullets. They died, launching unriped offensives and probably bite their fingers to hell.
This is a crucial lesson for youthful callers, especially the idealists and puritans, who would do anything today to divide the rank of the believers and collapse the world into shreds. More often than not, they do live to become champions and patrons of those “negative ideas” which they had earlier cursed!
Youths are generally endowed with strong passion; and they tend to gratify it blindly. They are changeable and can be manipulated. They are hot and quick tempered. They’re sanguine and can be easily cheated. Youths are indeed fickle in their desires.
Their impulses are keen, but not deep rooted. Even when they seem to be critical of one idea, they are blindly loyal to another. As for Muslim youths, their teacher or leader is always right, being the only doctrinaire who holds the key to their hearts.
But the simple truth is that Muslim youths have no genuine mentors. The self-acclaimed mentors only stand to be hero-worshipped. Youths could easily fall for the sentiments of the moment. Stands taken are not informed by knowledge.
Sometimes, a claim to knowledge is a mere display of eloquence. At other time, the knowledge flaunted is not backed by experience. Consequently, tomorrow betrays today; and today is a lamentation of the wasted yesterday.
Those who clamour for Pantami’s resignation are not unaware of his innocence. Nevertheless, the Minister is haunted by his erroneous past. Enemies have only taken advantage of his challenge. We must all learn from this and watch our tongues, pens and actions, as we walk the path of da’wah.
