RESPONSE TO ATHEIST

It is very interesting reading your thought and philosophy of religion and ur justification for ur independent assertion. The post above is clearly an attempt in balancing the equation about religion since the European came to Africa to colonize us via slave trade. Yet, the post lack academic merit since there are no relevant literatures the author reference for verification and further study. The Berlin treaty of 1876 or so is clear on the issue on how to divide Africa among British, French, Portuguese etc colonial masters and their adventures have been widely reported. In Nigeria, for instance, we have read various books about incursion of the white. However, no history tells us how Islam came to enslave Africa or otherwise. Hence, the above posting is part of the handiwork of orientalists who are hell-bent on destroying Islam. 

You can easily remember how the same orientalists told us that Islam was spread through SWORD in the right hand of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and QUR’AN in his left hand. Today, they have dropped the idea because it is bereft of any reasoning and logic. For your information, QUR’AN was not available as a book during the lifetime of the Prophet, rather, it was memorized by the Prophet and all the followers. It was later documented as a book during the time of Caliph Usman and despite that fact, Qur’an is still memorized by millions of muslims till date even at the age of seven. Remember in Quran Chapter 2 that “THERE SHOULD BE NO COMPULSION IN RELIGION AS TRUTH STAND OUT CLEARLY FROM FALSEHOOD”

Moreso, Islam preaches equality and justice and avoid racism. Islam teaches us not to hate or put down others based on their race, color of skin or eye, or nationality. The Holy Qur’an says “O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you people and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed the most noble of you in the sight of God (Allah) is the most righteous of you. Indeed Allah is All Knowing and Acquainted”  (Q 49:13).

The above verse shows that Islam is a practical remedy for the racial conflict and discrimination which the world witnesses. Confirming this wonderful concept of equality in Islam, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in his last sermon said:

“O people, your God is one and your father is one. You are all from Adam and Adam is from dust. An Arab is not superior to a non-Arab, and a non-Arab is not superior to an Arab. A white has no superiority over a black, nor does a black have superiority over a white. You are all equal. Nobody has superiority over others except through piety and good action”.

In order for you to have proper perspective about Islamic diffusion in Africa, SHALL WE TAKE THE CASE OF YORUBALAND FOR FURTHER STUDY? I intend to take u abreast on how Islam came to Yorubaland naturally and cohabit in a just and egalitarian approach in my later post to you. Before then please read these two books by two world renowned scholars of distinction – John L. Esposito, a Roman Catholic Professor in Georgetown University, USA and Tariq Ramadan, a Muslim Professor in Oxford University, UK titled ·  Islam: The Straight Path (1st edition: 1988, 3rd edition: 2004) ISBN 0-19-518266-9 and ·  Islam, the West, and the Challenge of Modernity, 2001. ISBN 0-86037-311-8. The books are available on Amazon and Oxford University Press.