Mirroring the Past in the Present: A Comparative Analysis Between Khawārij and Boko-Haram

ABSTRACT


Introduction
Islam is a religion that preaches peace and harmony and practises it even in the face of adversity.Records maintain that even when the religion was in its embryonic stage and attacked from within and outside, lenience and simplicity were among the values and principles embraced by the Prophet (SAW) da c wah (Islamic propagation).The Prophet (SAW) was instructed to invite into the religion of Islam with wisdom and good admonition (Qur'an 16:125) because religion is a matter of choice and not of compulsion Q2:256).The experience of Nigerians is a distortion of history because if Nigeria and even the entire world would ever mention the most dangerous terrorist group, Boko Haram will be mentioned on the top list.Many people have been killed, many maimed, and many displaced.The global terrorism index 2015 report shows that Nigeria has the highest rate in terrorist death from 1595 in 2013 to 6118 in 2014 and in 2018 Nigeria was ranked third in the list of countries with a very high impact of terrorism.Agreed that terrorism has no family, the symbol carried about by this terrorist group is that of Islam and even though Muslims disowned them, the fact that they go about with symbols of Islam and they affiliate themselves with Muslims may make it difficult for Muslims to dissociate themselves from the deadly group in totality.It must however be recalled that a group with a similar ideology existed during the time of the Prophet and survived long after the Prophet.This group is called Khawārij (anglicised as Kharijites).It is pertinent to discuss the growth of this group, compare the group with the Nigerian Boko-Haram and examine the influence of the mother sect on it because the two sects draw their members from among the Muslims and preach the practice of shariah in its proper manner.The approach adopted by the two sects in the preaching of Islam is however, radical in nature and considering the fact that peace and security are strongly attached to the development of individuals and society, this paper is interested in finding out how relevant is the approach adopted in the conquest of the Khawārij to the subduing of the Boko Haram group.

Terrorism and its Causes
The word terrorism refers to a pre-meditated use or a threat to use violence by individuals or a group of people for the purpose of achieving a political or social gain.It is an "asymmetrical deployment of threat and violence against enemies using means that fall outside the forms of political struggle."i The enemies mentioned in the definition could be assumed and not real but considered so by the terrorists.Terrorism is more than ordinary violence but rather a unilateral violence that has a high degree of organisation with usurpation of political power as its major objective.Killings in terrorism are done indiscriminately to induce fear in the mind of people and to force a government or a constituted authority to comply with the demand of the nongovernmental organisation even if such demand is illegal.
Research findings on the root cause of terrorism show that poverty and unemployment stand out among others.ii This is because people who are economically deprived are mostly vulnerable to discontent, which could lead to violence and an act of terrorism.Studying the situation in Nigeria, Daniel identified the effect of poverty on health and education in northern Nigeria iii and established that only 2% of children in northern Nigeria under twenty-five months old have been vaccinated, others are deprived.83% of youths are illiterates and 48.5% do not go to school at all, and such people could easily react to deprivation.iv This is probably the more reason why James made a sharp submission that between 2002 and 2009, Yusuf, the founder of the Boko Haram group successfully gained a huge followership which comprised youths mostly from poor families who were economically deprived, aged between 17 and 30 years.v In a report by the council of foreign relations, analysts confirmed that Nigeria, despite being the giant of Africa, has one of the continent's poorest populations with half of its two hundred million people living on less than $1.90 per day.vi By implication, while poverty could make some people to be aggressive and hostile to any system of government, it would make others to be lured into evil practices.
Notwithstanding the position of Adesoji that religion is another cause of terrorism in the society vii , it is arguable that religion is only used as a cover-up in the execution of terrorist activities because none of the world's popular religion preaches terrorism.In fact, Islam stresses that there should be no compulsion in religion (Q2:256) and on no condition should a Muslim initiate aggression (Q2:190).It further establishes that even when aggression is initiated and propagated by enemies, the teaching of Islam is that the moment the enemies incline towards peace, Muslims must also submit to the peace (Q8:61).It is on this background that religion can only be considered as a weapon used and not a cause.This is not to say that there are no records of religious crisis in the country; the Maitasine uprising of 1980, the Jumeta Maitasine crisis of 1984, the Christian/ Muslim crisis of 1991 and the Taraba State religious crisis of 1992 are all instances of religious crisis in Nigeria viii but causes of the violence are more of politics than Religious.Activities of the Boko-Haram in Nigeria and the targets of its various attacks show that the objective has no religious agenda.Boko Haram is believed to have emerged as a result of the struggle for leadership between the northern and the southern elites with the intention of gaining control over the state political power.ix This struggle that occupied immediately after the death of President Musa Yar'adua produced Good Luck Jonathan as a President of the nation.

The Origin of the Khawārij
Khawārij is an Arabic word kharaja which means he secedes, he breaks away, and he goes out.The name 'Khawārij' was presumed to be given to a set of people by the Prophet himself where he was reported to have said that "the Khawārij are the dogs of Allah" x Historians however, differ over the actual founder of the sect.Some people consider Dhul Khuwaisirah, a man who condemned the Prophet (SAW) of his action after the battle of Hunayn as the founder of the group and its ideology.Imam Muslim gave an account of the event in a lengthy hadith that when Ali bn Abi Tālib was in Yemen, he sent gold to the Prophet (SAW) which the Prophet (SAW) distributed to some people whose hearts he needed to be reconciled.A man with a thick beard, prominent cheek bones, deep-sunken eyes, protruding forehead and shaven head came around and exclaimed: Fear Allah, O Muhammad!The Prophet (SAW) responded: 'Who will obey Allah if I were to disobey him?Will he (Allah) trust me on all those on earth and you doubt me?The man then turned back and somebody (who was presumed to be Khalid bin Walid) asked for permission to kill him but the Prophet (SAW) disapproved of it and said: Verily, from the progeny of this [man] shall come a people who will recite the Qur'an but it won't pass beyond their throats.They will slay the followers of Islam and would spare the people of idolatry.They will pierce through the religion just like an arrow which goes clean through a prey… xi In the opinion of many Qur'an exegetes, it was in respect of this event that Allah revealed the verse: And among them are men who slander thee in the matter of (the distribution of) the alms: if they are given part thereof, they are pleased, but if not, behold!They are indignant!(Q9:58).xii The attitude of turning against a leader is condemned in Islam because Allah enjoins all believers not to challenge the Prophet (SAW) over his decision (Q33:36).This is a general rule that gives God and His Messenger all authority over the Muslims' lives.Once God and His Messenger decide a matter or take an action, a believer has no choice but to submit to that order and accept it in good faith.This rule demonstrates how difficult it is to take an action against the tradition.This position does not in any way present Islam as a religion of dogma but rather; strengthen the infallibility of the Prophet.Allah says regarding the utterance made by the Prophet "Nor does He say (aught) of (his own) desire.It is no less than inspiration sent down to him" (Q53:3-4) Even though, traces and traits of the Khawārij was in existence since the time of the Prophet, it may be difficult to consider this as the origin of the sect in Islam because as at the time of the Prophet (SAW) these people were not reported of having any ideology that is different from the known Islamic doctrine.The name 'Khawārij' given to these people was of literal value and only in consideration of their rebellious attitude towards the constituted and recognised authority.However, the sect that later emerged could be considered a development of radicalism influenced by the early rebellious group.
The Khawārij were said to have resurfaced as a militant group during the time of Uthman bin Affan, the third Caliph, when a man by the name Abdullah bn Saba'i attempted to destroy Islam from within.
The said man finally succeeded in launching a revolutionary attack against Uthman bin Affan and masterminded his assassination xiii .The assassination created a lot of confusion among the Muslim Ummah and was followed by the killing of many other Muslims on the ground that they committed sin and so, they are infidels.The group uphold the extreme position that a person who commits a grave sin is an infidel and is liable to murder and pillage.In addition, such a murdered sinner shall dwell in the hell fire despite the punishment meted on him here on earth xiv .
After the assassination of Uthman (RA), the group officially launched itself with the secession from Ali bin Abi Talib at Nahrawāni xv .It was presumed that the group operated in secrecy and concealed its political and ideological doctrines until after the event of Siffin when Zar'atu and Harqusu came out to challenge Ali bin Abi Talib regarding his position on arbitration.xvi These people along with their followers initially supported Ali on the issue of arbitration to end the war of Siffin but later turned around to condemn Ali for accepting arbitration between him and the warring enemies.xvii This same group gathered against Ali bn Abi Talib on his way from Shām after the battle of Siffīn and withdrew their support for him.xviii Thereafter, they made a total decamp from Ali, rebelled against him and supported the killing of Ali after upholding political and ideological views that contravened the belief of Ali and the majority of Muslim Ummah.Prominent among their view is that a man who commits an offence is a disbeliever (Kāfir) xix .
This group struck to their position without any recourse to the explicit meaning of the verse of the Qur'an that says that anybody who offers a word of salutation should not be condemned to infidel xx .The verse was revealed in respect of Usāmah(RA), a Companion of the Prophet(SAW), who was condemned for killing a man after pronouncing the kalimah of Lā Ilāha Illa Allahu and when Usāmah (RA) gave the excuse that he pronounced it only to defend himself, the Prophet(SAW) asked if he dissected his chest to know his intention.xxi It becomes clear that the evil of the Kharijites is witnessed in their presuming any Muslim who commits a sin as an infidel.

The Origin of Boko Haram
Boko Haram is a radical Islamic organisation rejecting western system and calling for a return to Islamic system of government to rid the society of social vices.The explanation of the activities of the group has corrected the stand of some scholars that attempted likening the jihad of Uthman dan Fodio with the jihad being propagated by the Boko Haram group.Roman Loimeier among others, likened the approach of Boko Haram in the propagation of Islam to that of Uthman dan Fodio when he said; Boko Haram is not the first Muslim movement in the region which has advocated jihad (in the sense of an armed struggle) as a strategy to implement its programme of reform: the movement of jihad as started by Uthman dan Fodio (d.1817) in the early nineteenth century, led to the removal of the Habe rulers in Hausaland and to the establishment of the rule of religious scholars... xxxi   The jihad launched by Uthman dan Fodio was mainly of da'wah.The approach adopted was not a radical one like that of the Boko Haram rather, Uthman dan Fodio resorted to combat in an attempt to resist the attack launched by the rulers who struggled to defend their royal seat against the spread of Islam.It was Yunfa, the ruler of Gobir, who ordered an attack on any follower of Uthman dan Fodio that sets out to join him in Gudu because of the fear that the Shaykh may gain strength in terms of population of his followers.Amoloye rightly captured the event when he mentioned that "it was this attacks" from all parts" against the Shaykh's followers that provoked reprisals from the jama c ah. xxxii

The Ideology of the Khawārij and the Boko Haram
Ibn Taimiyya identifies the major ideologies of the Khawārij thus: The Khawārij was the first group to declare Muslims to be unbelievers because of their sins.They charged as a disbeliever whoever disagreed with their innovations.They made lawful the spilling of blood and the taking of the wealth of such person.This is the trait of the people of innovation, that they invent some religious innovation and then they excommunicate whoever disagreed with them concerning it.Rather, the people of the Sunnah and the community follow the Book and the Sunnah and they obey Allah and His Messenger and follow the truth.They have mercy upon the creation.xxxiii   It is clear from the submission of Ibn Taimiyya that the Khawārij's ideology is based upon three major tenets: 1. Declaring Sinning Muslims as disbelievers.The Khawārij declared anybody who commits a major sin in Islam such as the offence of adultery, theft and murder as an unbeliever who should not be entrusted with any responsibility in Islam.In fact, this position is opposed to the teaching of Islam.

Features of Khawārij as Shared by Boko Haram in Nigeria
Features of Khawārij are explicitly mentioned in a tradition narrated by Ali bn Abi Talib where he said that he heard the Prophet (SAW) saying that at the end of time, some people of young age who are immature and senseless will appear.These people will utter the best of the speech of the people to buttress their claim and they will eventually leave Islam just as the arrow pierces the body of the game and then abandons it.Their faith will not go past their throats.The Prophet (SAW) ordered that these people should be killed wherever they are seen and their killing will be recompensed and rewarded on the Day of Judgment.xlii Given their perspectives and approaches to the application of strict Islam, both the Khawārij and the Boko Haram are generally defined as fundamentalist groups who express peculiarity, exclusivity, literality and moral rigour.These groups express opposition to religious and cultural liberalism in defense of orthodoxy and religious tradition.The two sects are fundamentalists because they represent organizational and ideological uniqueness that is not at tandem with the teachings of Islam.xliii Their violent approach to the achievement of their goal further qualifies them as terrorist.Based on the description of the Prophet (SAW), the following are the major characteristics of the Khawārij and the Boko Haram 1-Young age: the Khawārij were mostly people of young age who consider themselves having the strength to ignite the fire of fitnah in the society.They were people of middle age who were still being controlled by egocentrism in the struggle for leadership under the banner of religion.History records that members of Khawārij are people, capable of carrying arms against their opponents because their weapon is majorly of violence.In Nigeria, the majority of the Boko Haram members are youths who still have the strength of engaging the army in a violent attack.Majority of them are bachelors who abducted female students to quench their sexual urge.This accounts for the reason why some Chibok abducted students were rescued with babies in their hands.
2-Immaturity: members of the Khawarij are immature in their judgment and thinking.Their reasons for waging wars against Ali (RA) were usually baseless.Even though history acknowledges their argumentative power, a majority of them are not rational in thinking.Those who left the sect comment on their irrationality in thinking.They agreed that they were brainwashed and indoctrinated to accept the propagated ideology.
Boko Haram members are majorly those who only obey whatever is said by the leader without applying their own reasoning.Most of them blindly follow the view of the few most radicals among them.Their leader make himself a Demi-god whose authority could not be challenged.
3-Defaming religious leaders: Khawarij resists and goes out against the legitimate rulers without just cause.This was evident in the inaugural sermon delivered by Abdullah bn Wahb when he was made to lead the group.He said after enjoining them to be upright and forbidding them of indecency And bear me witness that people of our call and mission now follow their desires and reject the law of the book (of Allah).They oppress in words and deeds and therefore waging war against them becomes the duty of believers.xliv It is evident from this sermon that, members of the group are made to believe that no ruler is ever just or fair and waging war against them is a religious act that is not only justifiable but also rewarding.The killing of Sheikh Albani was traced to the deadly sect.
xlv Albani, a Muslim leader who was known for criticizing the Boko-Haram, was murdered in cold blood along with his wife and his son on February 1, 2014.
4-Killing believers and sparing idolaters: Khawārij are ready to slay Muslims because of their beliefs, yet they are not willing to fight Jews and Christians that are totally of a different faith.This is evident from the reaction of Abdullah bn Shajaratus Sulamiy on hearing the sermon of bn Wahb.He said: This leader was bold enough to announce the position of the group as coercing people to adopt their ideology even though it is against the pristine Islamic ideology.Their concern is evidently not the propagation of Islam but of their political cum religious ideology.The group is so much deadly that the confession of kalimatus shahada cannot save a non Khawārij from the piercing of their sword.
Tabari reported in a more pathetic way, the mischief of the Khawārij thus:

‫بأسيافهم‬ ‫قطعوها،‬
The Khawarij came to a village, and they seized a man and his daughter.She said to them, "O people of Islam!Indeed, my father is an old man so do not kill him, and I am only a girl.By Allah, I have never been immoral and I have never harmed anyone."They brought her to kill her and she kept saying, "What is my sin?What is my sin?" Then she fainted or died and they cut her into pieces with their swords.xlvii Like Khawarij like Boko Haram group whose member are ready to slay Muslims with the argument that they are unbelievers.Their hatred for Muslims is more pronounced than for any other person as evident in the number of Muslim victims of their evil deeds xlviii and this could be accurately established considering the fact that their operations are centered in the north eastern part of Nigeria which is predominantly occupied by Muslims.The attack of Boko Haram on Muslims' places of worship outnumbered those of the Christians' places of worship.The like of their attack on the Kano central mosque is not recorded for any of the churches in Nigeria and no record what so ever, of their attack on shrines owned by idol worshipers.
5-Killing of anybody that opposes their opinion: Khawārij fight Muslims who differ with them.They confiscate their belongings, ambush them, and kill them if they flee the battlefield and take their women and children as captives if they are able.Abdullah bn Khabbab (RA), a companion of the Prophet(SAW), was captured by the Khawārij together with his pregnant wife and because the companion showed he didn't belong to their group, they slaughtered him, slaughtered his pregnant wife, evacuated the baby in her and slaughtered the baby.xlix Even when Islam preaches sympathy for women, Boko Haram's abduction of the 276 Chibok girls in April 2014 is a replicate of the barbaric attitude of the Khawārij.In a release by the leader of the group regarding the abducted girls and other women, he said: They're holding our brothers in prison.They've arrested them, tortured them and subjected them to various forms of abuse.I'm not just talking about our religious leaders-now, they've started to detain our women…Since you are seizing our women, and you wait and see what will happen to your women.l On the 7 th November 2017, Boko Haram group was reported to have launched another attack on innocent souls indiscriminately, killing six and injuring many others.li The leader was equally reported to have released a video clip stating that 'I… Abubakar Ash-Shakawy (Shekau), the leader of Jama'atu Ahlissunnati Lid-da'awati Wal Jihad, made it a duty upon myself to fight Nigeria and the whole world."lii 6-Disagreeing among them and dividing into several sects.The Khawarij gave their groups different names to distinguish themselves from other Muslims of their time.Evidences for this are Khawārij groups such as Ahlut-Tawhid (the Unitarian), al Muhakkimah (the people of arbitration) and As Shurat (The vendor).liii Other sub divisions of Khawarij based on ideology are: Al-Azāriqah, An Najdah and Al Ajaridah,The essence of the name they give to themselves is not only to make them unique but equally to present them in a way different from how people would be seeing them.In a similar vein, Boko Haram group initially called themselves the Yusufiyya following the name of the founder, Yusuf, but the group preferred to be called Jama'atu Ahlissunnah Lidda'awati Wal Jihad.At the time Yusuf was killed, the sect disagreed among themselves and killed one another.In January 2012, a new group named Ansari under the leadership of Abu Usāmat Al Ansari was formed.Muhammad Marwan who was ready to accept a ceasefire with Federal Government in 2013 was repudiated by Abubakar Shekau.Abubakar Shehu who was popularly called Abu Sumayya was equally injured in the attempt to assassinate him for allegedly betraying the mother sect.
7-Insulting Muslim leaders and regarding them to be misguided: Khawārij believe that whoever believes in Uthman, Ali, Muawiyya and all supporters of arbitration is a disbeliever.liv This stand is not new because in the inception, the founder of a similar ideology criticized the Prophet openly and denounced his loyalty to the Prophet.This attitude is found among Boko Haram sect in Nigeria.Since its formation in 2002, Boko Haram has targeted the Nigerian government and has at all stages, being insulting Nigerian leaders and criticizing them as infidels who are not entitled to the leadership of a country with Muslim majority.

Ali's Approach towards the Khawārij; Lesson for Nigerian Government
The khawārij are a group of Muslims who fought in the camp of Ali bn Abi Talib against A'ishah the wife of the Prophet at the battle of Jamal and against Muawiyya bn Abi Sufyan at the battle of Siffīn because at that time, they believed Ali was a caliph to whom loyalty was obligatory and both A'isha and Muawiyya were hypocrites that must be fought.This group was known as the Quraa, indicating their devotedness to the recitation of the Qur'an.This group had a problem with Ali because of his choice in nominating Abu Musa al Ash'ari to represent him in arbitration with Muawiyya's counsel, Amr bn As against the suggestion of Muawiyya that solution to the conflict should be sought in the Qur'an.With this position of Ali, they considered him to have broken away from Islam for allowing men to decide on matters that should be left with Allah.Consequent upon this, they broke away from Ali and argued that Ali had fought Muawiyya and A'isha for an offence lesser than what he committed.They started gathering enough Troops to dislodge both Ali and Muawiyya; a plan which they started by frustrating Ali in his office.Ali tried to avoid fighting them at all cost and took the following steps to call them to order.
At the inception, Imam Ali related with them with a high degree of liberality and democracy.Although he was the leader and they were his subjects, he refused to either imprison them or flog them.Even when they insulted him in the public and refused to pray behind him, he never became aggressive.Despite their criticism of Ali's government, he never cut down their wages from the treasury.During this period, they were granted freedom to express their concern because it was the thought of Ali that if they were made to understand the error in their thinking and position, they would reverse in their decision.
Ali sent the uncle of the Prophet, Ibn Abbas, who was a person of honour to them by virtue of his relationship with the Prophet.Ibn Abbas had the first dialogue with them to return them back to the camp of Ali.They engaged him in different arguments among which were the reason why Ali does not allow them to take the war booty at the battle of camel and why Ali had agreed to arbitration by human being instead of leaving decision to Allah.Ali, together with Ibn Abbas was able to give them convincing answers which made some of them to return to the side of Ali Ali sent a letter to those yet to be convinced among them inviting them to support him in fighting Muawiyya and other rebels but they responded by saying both Ali and Muawiyyah were unbelievers and that Ali should admit being an unbeliever before they can think of either supporting him or not.On refusal, the Khawārij went on rampage terrorizing people on the question of faith.One of the victims of that attack was Abdullah bn Kabbab who was killed because he admitted that the khulafa' were good people.This attitude made Ali to launch an attack on them after enticing them with repentance and payment of diyyah.When Ali sets out his army he said to them that if Muslims should fight them (the Khawārij) all the Khawarij will be killed with none of the Muslims being killed at the battle field.Ali pursued them and met them face to face on the banks of the Nahrawan where they stayed.With this attack, he was able to win about eight thousand out of the twelve thousand Khawārij back to his side and with this, he succeeded in weakening them.

Conclusion
Considering the uprisings in the government of Ali and the steps he took in putting an end to the burning fire of fitnah, one would conclude that the Nigerian government could borrow from the steps he took in solving the terrorism of his time.The following steps are suggested to be relevant: 1.
Researching the root cause of the insurgence: It is not possible to fight the insurgence without having adequate knowledge of its root cause.Among other things, this knowledge of their associates will enable a government to know the source of their strength.Militants and insurgents in Nigeria are majorly from a tribal affiliation that are alien to sophisticated weapons.This made it necessary to verify the origin of their terrorism and the source of their weapons.

2.
Refutting the dangerous ideologies of jihad: The word 'Jihad' implies striving in the cause of Allah.Technically, the word means making lawful effort to see that the religion of Allah prevails on earth.Both the literal and the technical meaning of the word are far from any act of aggression in the society.It cannot be ruled out that some ideologies propagated by some Muslims trigger violence probably because of their worship with extremism or their ignorance of the tenets of the religion.Individuals, religious organizations and institutions of learning should be conscious of what is transmitted to younger generations.

3.
Adequately identifying the radical religionists: In trying to suppress terrorism and insurgence in Nigeria, caution must be taken not to generalize issues.People should not be accused of terrorists on the basis that they share characteristics of dressing or appearance with the terrorists.It should be understood that in Nigeria, some armed robbers are always dressed in military attires and that does not make military men to be criminals and neither are such armed robbery assumed to be representing the interest of the military.

4.
Focusing more on education: Illiteracy is a menace that kills a nation.A country where education of the youths is not taken with seriousness is likely to face the challenge of insecurity.It has been surveyed that more than ninety percent of the Nigerian insurgents are illiterates whose brains are manipulated for violence.Leaders of these insurgents twist verses of the Qur'an to justify their violent activities.

5.
Focusing on economic reform: An idle hand, as said, is the workshop of the devil.The need to reform the nation's economy is paramount because most of those used to perpetrate evils are being lured into insurgency with pea-nuts.The economic situation of the country is in no little way, contributing to the nation's level of insecurity.

6.
Monitoring the media and the arts: The media houses in the country are not helping matter.Their role in escalating violence cannot be under estimated.There are several instances of exaggeration made by the media houses in the country regarding incidences.It is necessary to keep the media under watch so that they don't fuel violence with their presentations.

7.
Embracing religious freedom: When people are allowed to practice their religion without any hindrance, the country will certainly be in peace.

Notes and References
‫ابنته‬ ‫فقدموا‬ ‫ابنته،‬ ‫وأخذوا‬ ‫فأخذوه‬ ‫قريته‬ ‫الخوارج‬ ‫فأتت‬ ‫أم‬ ‫ابنته‬ ‫اسم‬ ‫أن‬ ‫السلولي‬ ‫الربيع‬ ‫أبو‬ ‫لي‬ ‫وزعم‬ ‫فقتلوها،‬ ‫أبي‬ ‫إن‬ ‫اْلسَلم،‬ ‫أهل‬ ‫يا‬ ‫لهم:‬ ‫تقول‬ ‫كانت‬ ‫وأنها‬ ‫يزيد،‬ ‫ما‬ ‫وهللا‬ ‫جارية،‬ ‫أنا‬ ‫فإنما‬ ‫أنا‬ ‫وأما‬ ‫تقتلوه،‬ ‫فَل‬ ‫مصاب‬ ‫آذ‬ ‫وَل‬ ‫قط،‬ ‫فاحشة‬ ‫أتيت‬ ‫يت‬ ‫ج‬ ‫تطلعت‬ ‫وَل‬ ‫قط،‬ ‫لي‬ ‫ارة‬ ‫ما‬ ‫تنادي:‬ ‫فأخذت‬ ‫ليقتلوها،‬ ‫فقدموها‬ ‫قط‬ ‫تشرفت‬ ‫وَل‬ ‫ثم‬ ‫ميتة،‬ ‫أو‬ ‫عليها‬ ‫مغشيا‬ ‫سقطت‬ ‫ثم‬ ‫ذنبي!‬ ‫ما‬ ‫ذنبي‬ leadership of the group was transferred toYusuf Muhammad who transformed the group to what is now known as Boko Haram.xxiiYusufMuhammad who hailed from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, took up the mantle before the year 2002 as a jihadist movement but developed differenct ideologies in 2002.xxiiiThe group which was known and called by its followers as Jama'atu ahlu sunnah lid da'wah wal jihad (The Group of the People of Sunnah for Preaching and Struggle) was initially considered the Nigerian Taliban that originated from the Muhammadu Ndimmi mosque in Maiduguri.The group preaches zero tolerance to the corrupt practices in Nigerian governance which, according to them, is a product of the faulty education and legal system in the country and for them, there is the need for a return to Islamic system.Other beliefs of the sect are: anybody who votes in a democratic election is an unbeliever, and anybody who consumes products such as Maggi, Peak milk, and toothpaste such as Maclean which are presumed to be produced by non-Muslims is an unbeliever.
Boko Haram which literally means western education is forbidden, was initially operating under Shabaab Muslim Youth Organisation which was led by Mallam Lawal.But when Mallam Lawal travelled to Madina in Saudi Arabia for further studies, the Muhammad Yusuf sojourned through many sects such as the Al-Zakzaky Muslim brothers xxiv and Jama'atu Izalatil Bid'ah wa Iqamatus Sunnah xxv before finally taking the opportunity of various splits in these sects to establish his own group and gain followers.xxviThefounder had followers majorly in Yobe, his state of birth and in Borno, his state of residence.Between 2002 and 2009, there were different clashes between the group and the government and after the Yobe and Borno attacks of 2009 which claimed the lives of not less than seven hundred people and leaving not less than three thousand five hundred people displaced.The reason for these attacks was against the background of the group demand, through protests, for the implementation of Shari'ah in Nigeria, the leader was captured by the Nigerian Military and killed while in police custody.xxvii Abubakar Shekau who was The Boko Haram group condemns any western civilization and considers anybody who embraces western education to be an infidel.They equate western civilization with atheism and unbelief even if admirers of the system are practicing Muslims.xxxivShekau, the disciple and successor of Yusuf Muhammad said in a video tract where he challenged President Good Luck Jonathan for calling the Boko Haram a cancer that the constitution of the country is unbelief and the singing of the national pledge is a worship of the nation.xxxv2.Rejecting loyalty to a ruler especially if he is suspected to be applying reason in his judgment.Whenever the Khawārij in their own estimation, suspect a leader to be oppressive in his judgment or statement, they immediately go against him.It should be recalled that Dhul Khuwaisirah condemned the Prophet and challenged him to his face saying that he should fear Allah.The Boko Haram group rejects the Nigerian secular system of education and turns against the Sultan of Sokoto as the nominal head of all Nigerian Muslims.It rejects the supremacy of the Nigerian Head of State and criticizes the excesses of the Nigerian institutions in imparting a wrong and corrupt knowledge.xxxviArulerwho commits a sin should neither be spared but rather, he should be dethroned and possibly killed.All these were upheld by the group to justify their violent acts.Boko Haram affirms Hakimiyyah (leadership) for Allah alone.They view democracy as totally conflicting with Islam and that anybody who assumes political office through democracy is a Kāfir (disbeliever) because he is involved in a system which conflicts with the teachings of Islam.xxxviiThefounder of the group was reported to have said:We see a state in which Muslims are living, but they refuse the Islamic shari'ah in its totality and put in its place the system of democracy.first group in the history of Islam to break away from the ummah through rebellion and violence and the first group in the history of Islam who have no regard for sanctity of life.xl According to their doctrine, repentance is insufficient for a Muslim who commits a sin for him to be admitted back into the fold of Islam, he has to be publicly humiliated and re-embrace Islam anew by confessing Kalimatus Shahadah.xli 3. Justifying violence against Muslims and innocent people.The Khawārij believes that any Muslim who upholds a contrary doctrine to their own should be killed.Scholars agree that the Khawārij are the first group in the history of Islam to declare Muslims as disbelievers; the with the sword until they obey the Beneficent the Merciful.If you succeed and Allah is obeyed in the way you want, Allah will give you the reward of those who obey Him and act by His command.But if you are exterminated (in the process), what other thing is better than patience, a return to Allah, to His pleasure and to His Jannah.xlvi Adesoji O, Adelaja, Abdullah Labo and Ea Penar."Public Opinions on the Root Causes of Terrorism and Objectives of Terrorists: A Boko Haram Case Study" Perspectives of Terrorism, Vol, 12 No 3 (2018) 35-49 xxvi Ahmad Murtada."Boko Haram in Nigeria:Its Beginnings, Principles and Activities … xxvii Mohammed Aly Sergie, "Boko Haram", Council on Foreign Relations, February 26, 2014, http://www.cfr.org/nigeria/bokoharam/p25739xxviii Mohammed Aly Sergie, "Boko Haram", Council on Foreign Relations… xxix Eeben Barlow."The Rise and Falland Rise Again of Boko Haram" Harvard International Review .Vol. 37 No 4. (2016) 16-20 xxx This is a term used for young itinerant students of the Qur'an who attached themselves to a specific teacher and moved about with him from one place to another.The almajiris leave a simple life style and survive with whatever they are able to get from begging.It is believed that because they don't have a stable source of income, they are easily lorded into criminal acts.Jacob Zenn , Atta Barkindo & Nicholas A Heras. "The Ideological Evolution of Boko Haram in Nigeria" 2013.http:/ / www.tandfonline.com.Accessed on 23 rd February, 2019 xxxv Abubakar Shekau, "Message to President Jonathan," January 2012: Naija TV xxxvi Roman Loimeier."The Development of a Militant Religious Movement in Nigeria" … xxxvii Ahmad Murtada.Boko Haram in Nigeria:… xxxviii Abu Yusuf Muhammad bin Yusuf, Hadhihi 'Aqidatuna wa-Manhaj Da'watina (NP) (2009),156.See Suratul Ahzab33:36 and Suratu Nisa'i.Qur'an4:59 for details ii xxxiv xxxix