By Ishola Balogun

It stands condemned — Alhaji Muhammad Garuba Akinola Ibrahim, OON, Chief Imam of Lagos State.

The post election violence in some parts of the north is condemnable and it stands condemned.  No matter what happened, killing and destruction of properties is never a solution. Consultation, and dialogue with stakeholders would have address whatever grievances of the perpetrators.  But we should also know that somebody must win.

I also want to say that this should not be linked with Islam, Islam has no link with it either.  Some of the perpetrators could be identified as Muslims but the act has nothing to do with the religion.  No religion tolerates violence by whatever means, they should learn to be tolerant and live with one and other peacefully.

Alhaji M Garuba Akinola Ibrahim, OON, Chief Imam of Lagos State (Centre) and other Imans

The government should embark on compulsory education of the youths and give seminars and workshops on peaceful co-existence.  The youth should be engaged with work or trade, just like the saying that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.

Again, education of the youths is central to a peaceful living among one and other in the area.  If they knew the socio-cultural and religious implications of what they had done, they most probably would not have contemplated it.

Again, the perpetrators should not go unpunished.  Government should investigate it properly and with all sincerity of purpose and apply the full weight of the law to those found culpable so as to serve as deterrent to others. What they had done is against humanity and to Al-mighty Allah.

The Lagos state Central Mosque under my headship holds prayers for peace and stability of this country every Thursday and that will continue.  May Allah give all those who had lost lives and properties the tranquillity to bear the loss while we also pray that ALLAH restores all they had lost in the crisis. Amin.

If you kill a soul, you’d killed the whole world —  Alhaji Abdul-Bari Yusuf Afini, Chairman Council of Imam, Eti-Osa and Chief Imam Olomu Community Central Mosque, Ajah

No soul should be killed unjustifiably.  Al-mighty Allah says in the Qur’an, if you kill a soul, it is as if you had killed the whole world.  And if you save a soul, it is as if you had saved the whole world.  What happened in some parts of the North is very unfortunate.  It should not be linked with Islam.

The people might have their differences and such might have been linked with religion. Government has a duty to properly investigate it and come out with a report with a view to punishing offenders and serving as a deterrent to others.  Come to think of it, there is no religion that permits or preaches violence, I don’t understand why then any one will situate it with religion.

Remember the Emir palace was also torched, so, until the panel of enquiry comes out with a report to tell those who are aggrieved. It is highly condemnable.  We only wanly want to implore those who are involved in this act, we don’t know them but they should desist from it.

Government should also move a step further by engaging these people just as it is said that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop, they need to be properly engaged and as such they will think less about violence.  Education is also necessary they might not know the grave implications of what they have done, but with education, they will be able to decipher and differentiate a civil protest from a callous and violent reaction with gruesome killings and destruction of properties.

Allah decrees Obedience to constituted authority—  Alhaji Seifudeen Olowo-oribi, Chief Imam Ikorodu Division

Much as Islam encourages us to participate and have a voice on who governs us, we should not disobey our constituted authority.  We owe them a duty of being law abiding, never to take laws into our own hands.  Every Muslim has to be peaceful in dealing with the next person and that is the teaching of the Prophet.  Why should people resort to killing and destruction of properties just because of the outcome of an election?  Islam is a religion of peace and we should show that peace even to our enemies.

Having said that, I believe what happened is not a religious crises, it was politically motivated.  But what is important now is to investigate the crisis with the view of applying the full wight of the law on those found culpable.

It negates the laws of Allah, Islam —  Alhaji Abdul-Lateef Ahmad Balogun, Chief Imam of Okera-nla

The killing in the Northern part of Nigeria is highly condemned, it negates the ruling of Allah and Islam. The religion teaches peace between our neighbours and all members of the society irrespective of religious differences.  Islam does not teach us to kill one another.  Killing does not give anyone admittance into al-Janah. There is no record of such in the Qur’an and the hadiths of the Prophet (s.a.w). So, Muslims gain admittance into Al-Janah through what you put forth.

We should strive to put forth what is good and shun what is bad.  Violence, killing, destruction of properties are bad.  We are appealing to every body to keep calm and desist from any act of violence and let’s tolerate one another and live in peace.

That is why the council of Imam in Eti-Osa in conjunction with the World Research Peace held a one-day seminar to sensitise both the candidates and the electorates on peace.  The theme was: “Beyound Electoral contest”   Such thing could be emulated in order to forestall any kind of unrest.

Fear God —  Alhaj Imam Moshood Mudathir, Alamorieda, Chief Imam

The fear of God is not enough amongst us and that is why we allowed ourselves to be controlled by our anger instead of the other way round to destroy lives and properties. We are only doing our wish and not that of God. I think their leaders should intensify in the education of their subjects on living peacefully among all sects of people.  This could reduce the spate of violence in killings in the area.