LAST Sunday, the Department of State Security Services, DSS, announced the arrest of two suspected high-profile kidnap kingpins, as they tried to depart Nigeria for Saudi Arabia. Their mission was Hajj, the Islamic holy ritual. The suspected kidnappers had been on the watch list of the DSS for over a year. They ran out of luck in their attempt to outsmart God. Yes, attempt to out smart God, by raising ransom to go for a religious ritual.
The suspects were captured during screening at the Abuja and Sokoto Hajj camps. Yahaya Yakubu, from Gwagwalada, in the Federal Capital Territory, was arrested at the Abuja Hajj camp, while Sani Aliyu Galadi, from Zamfara state, was nabbed at the Sokoto state Hajj camp. They ran out of luck in their attempt to outsmart God.
Although no names have been given, another three wanted kidnappers have again been intercepted at the Abuja hajj camp yesterday, by the same DSS operatives. Like the previous two, they were arrested during the screening of pilgrims, who were preparing to be airlifted to Saudi Arabia.
Also, from Saudi Arabia, the final destination of these ransom raisers for religious ritual, came another report of arrests, this time, it was the arrest of the wife and mother of one Ado Aliero, a leading figure among Nigeria’s armed bandits or terrorists. The two women were said to be living under false identities when they were captured, pursuant to a well coordinated intelligence-led operation.
Ado Aliero, who has been on Nigeria’s list of most wanted criminals, has made name for arranging the kidnappings and sometimes, violent attacks on people in the Zamfara state axis of the north west. His family members ran out of luck in their attempts to outsmart God, by using resources raised from ransom to go for a religious ritual.
Ransom, or the money paid by the other party to secure a captive’s freedom, is like robbery in Islam. It is a grave sin and a crime punishable under Sharia law. It is considered more severe than theft because, it involves violence and a greater threat to the victim’s safety and property. Equally abhorred in Islam is banditry, which is considered a form of warfare against God. Banditry go hand in hand with terrorism in Islam, and the religion frowns at them seriously. To commit either, is to commit injustice on humanity, and injustice incurs the anger of Allah, The Exalted.
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, requiring Muslims to travel to Mecca and perform specific rituals. It’s seen as a journey of purification and a chance to reconnect with God, seeking forgiveness and spiritual growth. The purpose of Hajj in Islam is to fulfil a religious obligation, cleanse sins, and strengthen faith.
It is therefore very important that Hajj expenses are sourced from legitimate means, as this is considered a key aspect of performing the ritual with sincerity and purity. Money earned through cheating, terrorism, or any other dubious practice should not be used for Hajj, as the sins associated with such wealth may follow the pilgrim. Instead, Hajj should be financed from the purest sources of wealth, reflecting the ritual’s importance, as a great act of obedience to Allah.
Anyone attempting to use ill- gotten funds, like money raised from ransom, in order to perform such religious ritual, is simply attempting to compromise convictions. And, when individuals compromise their convictions, and allow the world to pull them away from God, the sin committed is called spiritual adultery- a big crime committed by those who may think of outsmarting God.
They say, as you sow shall you reap. The moral of the idiom is that, every time you think you are outsmarting God, by committing and enjoying the pleasures of sins, know that you are actually outsmarting yourself. The heart is infinitely deceptive and deceives itself.
The devil has already deceived you by that very thought of you thinking that you can break the word of God and getting away with it. You can not outsmart God! You would only succeed in playing to the hands of bad karma. Because, Karma is always watching, so make sure your actions are worthy of its approval. Not the other way round.
There is a proverb that says,” Every day is for the thief, one day is for the owner”. The proverb signifies that while the thief might enjoy a temporary advantage, like these kidnappers, the rightful owner will eventually reclaim what was stolen. And this proverb is most apt when the thief is on a mission to outsmart God. It clearly illustrates the idea that bad behaviour will eventually be met with consequences. The consequence of bad Karma, which is catching up with those trying to outsmart God, through the raising ransom for religious rituals.
You cannot rob Peter to pay Paul, particularly in the case of a religious ritual. It would be ridiculous. In fact, that can be called, a stupid act of imbecility. Thank God for the law of karma. May Allah continue to shame them, ameen.
- Ibrahim is Publicity Director for the All Progressives Congress (APC).