Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim
Glory be to Allah (SWT in highness in all fronts and prace and blessings be upon the noble Messenger Muhammad (SAW) and all deserving followers of his path till eternity. Allah (SWT) declares in the holy Qur'an: "Therefore stand firm (in the straight path) as you are commanded, - you and those who with you turn (unto Allah); and transgress not (from the path): for He sees well all that you do (11:12). And incline not to those who do wrong, or the fire will touch you; and you have no protectors other than Allah, nor shall you be helped (11:13). And establish regular prayers at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of of the night: for those things theat are good remove those that are evil: that is reminder for the mindful (11:14). And be steadfast in patience; for verily Allah will not suffer the reward of the righteous to perish (11:15).
The above cited Ayat beats much relevance on Steadfastness in Islam as the bedrock of worship (Ibadat). As the kernel of Islamic practice, as acting otherwise amounts to pan-theism and syncretism in the least description which boils down to polytheism. The world today dwells mostly on the verge of idolatry which is antithetic to monotheism. This is horizon of the pristine Islam. Without iota of doubt, any symbiotic with or symbolic representation of polytheism runs contrary to the dictates of nature on which Islam stands. It is on this note that various endeavours in the direction of making alliance with principalities other than Allah is frown at as far as Islam is concerned.
A recent trend of an iconic group called 'Raoqayailu, Morkotoyailu, Qoikoyailu and Kashfayailu (RMQK) a. k. a (Emi Agba) amidst Lagos - Ogun States Arabic Elites Yoruba Muslims calls for retrospective review. The group under the leadership of Shehu Maruwf Abolade Salahudeen Adagunja is popular for seeking assistance from Unseen Spirits, Astrology and believing that worship can be done through channels other than the Prophetic way. By extension, it believes in praying to demons, spirit, using astrology, fortune-telling, sorcery and religious entertainment. It also believes in the instrumentation of forces beyond human sight and imaginations. RMQK members starts conversation with names of Jinn and recitation of incantations is its hallmark.
Studies revealed that RMQK practice is premised on study and application of spiritual sciences, including Astrology, Numerology, and Universal laws of both kinetic and non-kinetic energy and vibration. As mainly offshoots of Markazil Islam, Agege whose pioneer and proprietor authored sevearal books on mystism including (اذا اجتلج النفس i.e 'Book on Meaning of Body Vibration'. These tools are said to be used not as system of belief, but rather as frameworks to decode the language of the Universe and bring greater clarity to one's personal journey in life. This according to most Adherents, makes the group's practice not affiliated with any religion proper just as laities cut across various strata of life. It is said to honour and respect all paths but remains independent of dogma or doctrine. It also claims no connection to occultism or mystical sects. Above all, its approach appears much of transparent, ethical and grounded in universal truths meant to uplift and enlighten, not to mystify or mislead followers (RMQK:D legit.ng 09/05 10.00 am).
Findings also revealed that RMQK is for the seeker who is ready to explore beyond the surface, to understand the energetic blueprint of life, and to grow spiritually through knowledge, awareness, divine sagacity and guided introspection. It claims clear distinction from Islam, but Muslims form its substantial membership. As a main difference, while Sufism preached in Islam offers a journey of a soul and its Lord (Allah (SWT)), RMQK appears a journey of a soul and spirit. Sufism centers worship towards Allah but RMQK hallmarks worship to spirit.
Nonetheless, could there be justifications for RMQK at this momentum period of our socio-religious circle? In the first place, our society is grappling with much religiosity but infinitesimal level of spirituality which translates into turning religious ground to enterprising sort as witnessed in not only in divine religions but also Traditional formations. Religious education had come under triviality in terms of economic attachment to sustain stewards just that extra but non-formal training is often insinuated for economic sustenance even after eight to nine years of receiving 'education'. This informs dwelling in individualistic trend such that Graduates of Nursery, Primary, Secondary level in Arabic studies which populate the group claim authority and extenuate 'religious pronuncements'.
The pristine Islam is categorical in terms of spirituality. Al-Yaqin (Certainty) as the highest spiritual ecstasy in Islam is mentioned seven times in the Qur'an. Generally, Qur'an 74:47 presents the scenario of "He came, he saw and he conquered". Prefix with gradation of instantaneous 'sight' of certainty (Quran 102:7), 'awareness' of certainty (Qur'an 102:5) and of course, 'assured' of certainty (Qur'an 56;95 & Qur'an 69:51). These bothers on levels of spiritual exploration in the Sufistic tendency.
Monopoly of knowledge cannot be claimed by anyone and no knowledge is obtainable apart from the endowed. Granted that earlier Scholars of repute used to disappear from sight, going oblivion only to reappear resolutely re-engineered, re-invigorated and spiritually elevated. Their meditation, genuflexion and reclamation often result in concretised inventions, innovations and creativity as deposited in most of the revered technological products. With all sense of humility, Astronomical instincts and pursuits were not far from being instrumental to inventing various civilization still in use to date from the medieval period of Islam and it remains contestable even in the Western world. Mention must be made as products of Intuition (Ilham) greeted with academic/laboratory exercises and not just attempts to clamp down on bearers without looking at the fact that 'there is nothing absolutely without atom of goodness.'
Considering the last factor mentioned, the Abbasid and the Fatimid rules in Islam could not have assumed the most prominent and golden age in Islamdom but for the efforts, painstaking and sustainable measures culminating in
both Baytul-Hikmah in the former and Darul- Hikmah in the latter. This factor in the duo ruling-ship though judged as the main factor that saw to the eventual decline of both dynasties, most of the enduring achievements of the regimes were offshoots of the 'House of Wisdom'. It played vital roles in sustaining the regimes for glory in Islam. Azhar University, Observatories, Gates and Towers apart from administrative and scientific desiderata that sustain the world to date are enough proofs.
If 'House of Wisdom' were not to be defiant from the orthodox, the civilization that we fall back upon might not have sufficed. Going by the recommendations in one of the recent editions in this forum, economic, entrepreneurial skills and professionalism were all mentioned as part of the panacea to Arabic/Islamic formation curriculum which innovations, inventions and creativity serve well. It is on this note that this edition would offer some probable suggestions regarding socio-religious attainments of the emerging RMQK as a group. Knowledge begets knowledge and 'Wisdom is a lost treasure of a Believer, and anywhere he founds it he amasses it'. Maitatsine and Boko Haram began like moonlight play and it trend like whirl wing terrorizing human existence in the Northern Nigeria. Rather than clamping down on the group, scholarly engagements appears more useful for purposeful re-integration of its members and re-orientation of others. Secondly, 'Winning a war is quite unlike winning a battle', stick and carrot approach in putting searchlight into their doctrines for useful interpretations for overall development of the Ummah is important. Thirdly, a man is a totality of the curriculum that produced him. The curriculum of Arabic/Islamic Schools is in dare need of overhauling to reflect the dynamics of economic viability making its Graduates running impactful and not only cleric-based endeavours. Fourthly, floating Academia at various Marakiz/ Ma'ahid whereby not only the views of the Proprietors but also research-inclined scholars would be ventilated on matters of socio-religious matter is very important. Encouraging the teaching of pristine Islam in the whole sense of it in order to shift paradigm of Graduates of these formations from being spiritual-occultic to resonating individuals useful to make economic and developmental changes in the society should be looked into. Finally, special boards at the realm of Umbrella Body in Yoruba land (MUSWEN) is due to be constituted to handle issues of Islamic Clerics for proper rules of engagement and possible remuneration. With the factors not limited to the above mentioned, the instrumentation of devil's workshop in the drift of most idle hands to uncertainty in the name of spirituality would soon abase.
DR. RAZAQ BOLAWAYE UTHMAN, IMAM & MISSIONER ANSAR-UD-DEEN SOCIETY OF NIGERIA IPAJA BRANCH LAGOS STATE NIGERIA. © Copyright 2025.
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