Kenyan clergy should stand up to Al-Shabaab

Any time a devastating terror attack happens, religious leaders are very quick to mention that they don’t consider terrorists to be true Muslims.

After the Dusit attack, Muslim leaders reiterated that such attacks are unacceptable, immoral and inconsistent with Human values and ethics. Deputy leader of SUPKEM said "we strongly condemn the barbaric and criminal tactic of perpetuating violence against innocent people"

But some countries that have also been affected by this menace have decided to do more than just condemn.  Countries in East Asia for example have declared ‘FATWA’(a ruling on a point of Islamic law given by a recognized authority) on terrorism, the aim being to reduce radicalism and militancy, and discourage sympathizers and patrons of militants from pursuing violent ways.

North Eastern Kenya and coastal regions are totally being deprived of crucial services like education because of Al-Shabaab’s relentless attacks on learning institutions and teachers. 

Recently political leaders from North Eastern region have convened to deliberate on ways to curb the ever increasing cross border attacks by Al-Shabaab. The leaders requested from the government to increase deployment of Special Forces in those areas that are prone to attacks by the Somalia based radical group, and also arm administration officers like village chiefs.

It’s now time for the clerics and religious scholars to step up their efforts, make their voices heard and make it crystal clear for the community especially the young people that there is no room in Islam for anyone who follows Al-Shabaab and their violent ways.

Most of our youth join groups like Al-Shabaab and ISIS mainly because these groups feed them deliberately choreographed ideological theories and push for a narrative where social and personal issues can be harnessed, such as anger at some perceived injustices such as high level of joblessness among the youth for example,(the Muslim youth) or the idea that Northern Kenya or NFD(as they like to refer) belongs to Somalia but is under Kenyan colonial rule, and the belief that these radical organizations can deliver salvation.

It is therefore easy for our young men and women to react emotionally to these simple narratives, the ‘ANASHEEDA’ (songs that usually make reference to Islamic beliefs, history, and religion, as well as current events) and videos that Al-Shabaab spreads on the internet.

Muslims believe in the Quran which has 114 chapters. All but one of the chapters begin with "In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful." 

In 2016 over 100,000 Islamic scholars in Bangladesh have issued a fatwa, declaring militancy and terrorism in the name of Islam as "haram" 

The following are some of the questions addressed by the fatwa : 

1. Does Islam support crime and terrorism? 

2. Did prophets, particularly Muhammad (SAW), take the barbaric path to establish Islam? 

3. Are Jihad and terrorism the same thing in Islam? 

4. Does terrorism create a path to heaven or hell? 

5. Will a suicidal terrorist’s death be counted as martyrdom? 

6. Is genocide allowed in the view of Islam? 

7. Does Islam support the indiscriminate killing of people including women, children, and the elderly? 

8. What sort of crime is it to kill a person while they are offering prayer? 

9. Is it allowed to attack worship places of non-Muslims such as churches, pagodas and temples? 

10. Is it not the responsibility of all – in the view of Islam – to create social resistance against criminals and terrorists?

There is no denying that Islam allows military action and violence in certain limited context, but is it ok for radicals like Al-Shabaab to take it out of that context and use it to further their own selfish individualistic causes?

These are the issues that our religious scholars need to address without fear