Nairobi Killings and Death of Professor Awonoor
Reports have it that the killings in Nairobi at the West-gate Shopping Mall is a revenge for the situation in Somalia. Late Professor Awoonor at that time he was shot was minding his business there, giving directions on knowledge as he has been doing here in Ghana.
He had earlier made major contributions in Literature and general learning, setting people in nation building through his lectures and instructions. As a former student in the then Secondary School, I recall my first contact with the illustrious Prof.
What I learnt those days were very illuminating and instructive. I suspect Prof was a Christian or traditionalist but that did not bother us, after all Prophet Mohammed instructs us to seek knowledge even if it is in China. Here it was in our local school, coming from our own. And then Prof. goes to Nairobi for similar cause-impacting knowledge and he is killed as part of the collateral damage.
Yes, the Koran allows us to revenge justifiable wrongs. But in equal measure. How can you determine this equal measure? We are therefore not surprised that the same Koran adds that if we forgive wrongs, it is Allah who gives us the reward. In other words the highly recommended action to wrong done to a Moslem who follows the teachings of the Quran is forgiveness.
Surah Shams tells us Allah has created humans to distinguish good from wrong - believers and non-believers alike! When we do good we purify our souls and succeed thereby to go to Heaven, but when we do bad or evil we corrupt our souls and therefore end up in perdition!
The Koran equally instructs us to act with wisdom when it says in Quran Chapter 16, verse 16 Invite (mankind, O Mohammed) to the ways of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in ways that is better.
Truly, the Lord knows best who has gone astray from His path, and he is the Best Knower of those who are guided. Moslems are sometimes confused about Hadith 40 which instructs us to stop a wrong doing first by force, speaking against it or lastly hating it in our heart which is the weakest faith.
The Quran expects us to Obey Allah, His Prophet and Those in leadership. So obviously the patient path is the best under our current circumstances. Prof Awonoor and many others who have been victims of these senseless killings could not have been near Somalia where Kenyan troops engaged the alleged perpetuators of Saturday's deaths.
So where is the wisdom in their deaths? When I first heard of the Profs death, I recalled in our science studies the role of Archimedes. If you were the type that worked mathematics well, you were called Archimedes.
Later I learnt that Archimedes was grossly involved in solving a Mathematical problem when a victorious soldier of his town came to fetch him. Apparently there was instruction that he should not be harmed. But that irate soldier killed him! Professor Awoonor was equally engrossed in going to impact knowledge, and was killed! I am just confused and sad. May the soul of Prof. and other victims rest in Perfect Peace!
By ALHAJI ALIDU BABA GBC, ACCRA
He had earlier made major contributions in Literature and general learning, setting people in nation building through his lectures and instructions. As a former student in the then Secondary School, I recall my first contact with the illustrious Prof.
What I learnt those days were very illuminating and instructive. I suspect Prof was a Christian or traditionalist but that did not bother us, after all Prophet Mohammed instructs us to seek knowledge even if it is in China. Here it was in our local school, coming from our own. And then Prof. goes to Nairobi for similar cause-impacting knowledge and he is killed as part of the collateral damage.
Yes, the Koran allows us to revenge justifiable wrongs. But in equal measure. How can you determine this equal measure? We are therefore not surprised that the same Koran adds that if we forgive wrongs, it is Allah who gives us the reward. In other words the highly recommended action to wrong done to a Moslem who follows the teachings of the Quran is forgiveness.
Surah Shams tells us Allah has created humans to distinguish good from wrong - believers and non-believers alike! When we do good we purify our souls and succeed thereby to go to Heaven, but when we do bad or evil we corrupt our souls and therefore end up in perdition!
The Koran equally instructs us to act with wisdom when it says in Quran Chapter 16, verse 16 Invite (mankind, O Mohammed) to the ways of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in ways that is better.
Truly, the Lord knows best who has gone astray from His path, and he is the Best Knower of those who are guided. Moslems are sometimes confused about Hadith 40 which instructs us to stop a wrong doing first by force, speaking against it or lastly hating it in our heart which is the weakest faith.
The Quran expects us to Obey Allah, His Prophet and Those in leadership. So obviously the patient path is the best under our current circumstances. Prof Awonoor and many others who have been victims of these senseless killings could not have been near Somalia where Kenyan troops engaged the alleged perpetuators of Saturday's deaths.
So where is the wisdom in their deaths? When I first heard of the Profs death, I recalled in our science studies the role of Archimedes. If you were the type that worked mathematics well, you were called Archimedes.
Later I learnt that Archimedes was grossly involved in solving a Mathematical problem when a victorious soldier of his town came to fetch him. Apparently there was instruction that he should not be harmed. But that irate soldier killed him! Professor Awoonor was equally engrossed in going to impact knowledge, and was killed! I am just confused and sad. May the soul of Prof. and other victims rest in Perfect Peace!
By ALHAJI ALIDU BABA GBC, ACCRA
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