MUFTI'S VIDEO ON CHIEF OBASANJO

By

Ibn Abdillah As-sudaisiy Al-Iloori

While watching the Mufti 's video where he was praying for Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in his presence to accept Islām, what came to my mind is, this is the man some people want us to throw away because of his past comments some of which he has even boldly retracted. Some people were saying he was not sincere with it. Who are we to judge people's sincerity? In the Sunnah, we are taught to deal with people with their open dispositions and not what they hide in their hearts because it is only Allāh that can judge that. 

Part of the rahmah (mercy) of the people of Sunnah is to wish that people are guided. What will anyone gain in seeing people toeing the path of misguidance. There is no doubt about the fact that Mufti has since improved in his utterances in recent time. He acknowledged that he erred and he was humble enough to say "mo ko je" (I withdrew it). How many famous scholars can do that? If the "Principal" can retract many of his utterances against the foundations of Islām, we will be happy for him too. But as long as he is adamant upon falsehood, we will continue to refute him while praying Allāh to guide him. Perhaps, his (Mufti)'s zeal to accept the truth has been behind his guidance so far, especially in public utterances. We pray Allāh continues to guide him. Allāh says:

وَا لَّذِيْنَ اهْتَدَوْا زَا دَهُمْ هُدًى وَّاٰتٰٮهُمْ تَقْوٰٮهُمْ

And those who are guided - He increases them in guidance and gives them their righteousness. (QS. Muhammad: Verse 17)

Some people may say there are still some bid'ah in him. We say yes, we know that. But considering his antecedents and his long journey in sūfiyyah that many of us know, even if it is just kufr related bid'ah, such as sihr (magic) and some 'aqeedah related misguided comments that he is able to drop, it is enough for us.

Though we hope he can be a full-fledged Ahlus Sunnah. The fact that he is even moving close to some Ahlus Sunnah is a serious concern for some of his adversaries. They are not happy that he received Malam Yusuf Adepoju and Malam Saheed Shittu at one of his lectures during Ramadan. I strongly believe that the campaign against him will not work as long as he guards his actions and utterances with the Qur'ān and Sunnah. All the plans against him will fail. That is why we need more of admonitions than criticism in his case these days. I listened to one of the audios of Dr. AbdulFattah Sarumi's "Addeenu Yusrun" where he expressed his happiness with the courageous moves by the Mufti. I also heard from a reliable source that one of our Shuyukh also called him to thank him for the bold step he took and he admonished him further. The report further says that the Mufti begged the Sheikh not to be far from him as he needs his guidance. 

We will continue to pray Allāh to guide him in his thoughts, actions and utterances both in public and his private dealings.