LET'S LIVE TOGETHER, IN PEACE
Ibrahim and Habeebah were both doctor couples. They worked together in a big hospital owned by the couple, IMMACULATE MEDICAL HOME. Ibrahim was a surgeon while Habeebah was a gynecologist. The hospital was actually a mahr given to Habeebah by Ibrahim. And he even had to relocate from Abuja to Lagos to grant his bride's wishes.
Ibrahim was Hausa-Fulani while Habeebah was Yoruba. Ibrahim was from a wealthy family while Habeebah came from a poor family. The couple met through Jamilah, Ibrahim's sister. They met on the wedding day of Jamilah. And it was an instant connection as Ibrahim liked Habeebah immediately.
He proposed marriage to her through his sister, Jamilah. Habeebah was afraid. She wasn't ready to go into the world of discrimination. She thought a social gap existed between the rich and the poor. She thought the rich would never dine with the poor. She thought rejecting the proposal would be knowing her place to avoid humiliation. Aside from this reason, she had so many other reasons.
She was a relative-less girl who couldn't trace her background. She thought marrying from the big wig in the society would expose her birth deficiency which she'd kept from public glare all the years. She thought marrying from de creme la de creme in the society would only bring her nothing but headache. She grew up with so much contempt from her own biological mother, she wouldn't love to delve into a marriage that she perceived would be filled with contempt and discrimination.
Another reason she ran away from Ibrahim's proposal was because of her unlettered mom. Her mom couldn't converse with the simplest English word. She feared there would be barriers in communication if she married Ibrahim who was Hausa. How would her mom communicate with her in-laws? How would she introduce her mom to her in-laws and there wouldn't be any form of connection from the go, due to language barriers? She wouldn't want that, hence, she ran as fast as her leg could carry her. She also feared that she might be a misfit for Ibrahim and his family. She feared there might be hullabaloo on her wedding day when media outlets from all corners of the country would grace the occasion and introduce Ibrahim as the son of a serving senator, how would her own family be introduced? She thought it would be better for her to know her place.
She had so many reasons for rejecting Ibrahim's proposal. And part of it was her past. While she was abandoned and neglected by her mother, she was accepted by another family. All the love she was denied was given to her by Adam and his grandfather. She thought it was too good to be real. She couldn't believe life could have a meaning. She couldn't believe life could be so sweet. But then, this newly found love was slipping away from her hands again. She wanted to retain this love, come what may. She wanted to have this love forever, no matter what it would cost her. Then she made a huge mistake. A mistake which hunted her till her path crossed with Ibrahim. And this mistake was part of what made her flee when Ibrahim proposed to her. When the past came hunting, the present would be filled with agony and melancholy.
Destiny eventually took its cause. What God had willed, no one could stop. They did get married. Ibrahim slaughtered her fears. He eliminated her worries. He accepted her wholeheartedly. She was relative-less, so what? She had a past, so what? She was from a poor home, so what? She wasn't even from his tribe, so what. True love exists. True love can be unconditional. True love conquers all. Where there is love, every other thing does not matter.
Ibrahim was a God sent. He turned her mournings into a bright morning star. He was everything to her. He stood by her when challenges crept into her world. He held her hands and assured her of a brighter ray. He was the shoulder that erected her neck so firmly. He was the rock she rested her back on without faltering. He was a knight in shining armour. He was the father she never had. The brother she never had. The love she never experienced. He gave her pure and unblemished love.
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Fast forward to this day, they had seven children together. The first gift Allah gave them came in three. They had triplet boys. Followed by twin girls and then twin boys.
A beautiful Sunday evening, the couple had a break from work. Ibrahim had a guest, his Hausa-Fulani childhood friend. Habeebah was preparing a delicacy in the kitchen.
Ibrahim and his friend were watching the news. Habeebah came out of the kitchen, she served them Amala and efo riro with orange juice. She sat beside her husband.
"Join us dear." Ibrahim said to Habeebah.
"No, darling, I'm full. Enjoy your food with your friend." Habeebah replied with smiles.
On the news, the Sasha ethnic clash was being broadcasted. 'The Yoruba and the Hausa clash in Sasha market in Ibadan. Lots of lives and properties were lost,' The news said.
Ibrahim's friend fumed with anger.
"See the way the Yorubas are killing our people. This is not fair at all. Our people too should retaliate by killing the Yorubas in the north." Bashir, Ibrahim's friend said while the couple exclaimed.
"What!" Ibrahim and Habeebah said in one voice.
"Yes now. Our people too should retaliate by killing the Yorubas in the north, you heard me right. That's the best revenge we can have." Bashir said in anger.
"Wow! What a submission! Those Yorubas in the north that would be killed, are they the ones that killed our people here in the southwest?" Ibrahim asked.
"Who cares. Those Hausas that were killed as well, were they the ones that committed the atrocities that were levied against the Hausa-fulanis that prompted this unjust killing?" Bashir asked.
"That's it. And if the unjust killings continue, so many innocent lives would be lost. There would be blood baths on the land which could lead to war. The prophet (PBUH) warned us against taking innocent souls in a number of Hadiths. 'whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.' Ibrahim quoted from the hadith of the prophet (saw) while Bashir was mute. He was still angry.
Ibrahim continued.
"The prophet warned us against tribalism and unjust killings in numerous hadith 'And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right……'
"Whoever rejects lawful obedience to the leader and divides the community and dies in this state will have died upon ignorance. Whoever fights under the banner of one who is blind, raging for the sake of tribalism, or calling to tribalism, or supporting tribalism, and is killed in this state will have died upon ignorance. Whoever rebels against my nation, striking the righteous and wicked alike and sparing not even the believers and does not fulfill the pledge of security, then he has nothing to do with me and I have nothing to do with him.' Ibrahim quoted yet another Hadith but Bashir would not agree with him.
"I know you're saying all this because you married a Yoruba woman." Bashir accused Ibrahim of insincerity while Ibrahim shook his head.
"No, I am not saying this because I married a Yoruba woman. I am saying all this because I'm a Muslim and someone who practices the sunnah of the prophet (s.a.w) And because the prophet also says 'He is not one of us who fights for the sake of tribalism.' For this reason, I'll always sue for peace and not for war. Because I know that Islam is a religion of peace and taking life unjustly is prohibited in Islam. And not only is it prohibited, the prophet (saw), says whoever does, will not smell the fragrance of paradise. And of course, I have married a Yoruba woman also, I'll never support anything that'll harm her tribe." Ibrahim said lovingly while Habeebah grinned.
This got Bashir more furious.
'Nonsense, but your wife's tribe can do things that'll harm your own tribe isn't it? Shebi you have eaten efo riro. And as a matter of fact, you eat it on a daily basis, you'll never be able to defend your tribe." Ibrahim's friend said angrily while Ibrahim smiled.
"Don't be angry my darling friend. All I have quoted thus far are not my own words, they are words of the prophet whom you and I believe in. Besides, I don't follow blindly, I have a mind of my own like the prophet has admonished us. 'Do not be people without minds of your own, saying that if others treat you well you will treat them well, and that if they do wrong, you will do wrong; but accustom yourselves to do good if people do good, and not to do wrong if they do evil'. Ibrahim quoted yet another hadith.
"Okay o. Let them continue to kill us while we keep mute. I just pray you're not the next to be killed by them." Bashir said to Ibrahim while Habeebah who'd been watching them in silence quickly rebuked what Bashir had said.
"Audhu bikalimatillahi tammati min sharri ma khalaq. My husband will never be a victim of human brutality. Please let's always say what is good or keep quiet." Habeebah expressed, trying hard to hide her anger and be courteous to the best of her ability.
Bashir got Habeebah's message. He kept quiet and fixed his gaze on the TV screen. Ibrahim smiled and held Habeebah's hand in his.
"Don't get yourself worked up sweetheart. Bashir has always been a plain spoken person. Nothing undestined will happen to your husband, so relax." Ibrahim said to Habeebah.
"Aamin o. I'll never mourn over you. You'll not be a victim of human wickedness by the grace of Allah. Let me go and check on the kids upstairs." Habeebah said and excused herself.
After Habeebah had left, Ibrahim turned to Bashir.
"Bashirrrrr, how can you say such unkind words to a husband in the presence of his wife. Don't you know that a woman's most feared nightmare is losing her husband? My wife can tear you apart if she hears you talk about her husband being killed." Ibrahim said to Bashir who apologized for being insensitive.
"As a matter of fact, I understand your grievances. I know you're furious because our innocent people are being killed. But an eye for an eye is not the solution. It will only make the world go blind. Some of our people too are guilty of kidnapping and killing their people. But you see, instead of cutting off the guilty finger, our people are fond of general labeling. Since some Fulani herdsmen are killing are kidnapping, all Fulanis are kidnappers and murderers who should get a death penalty. This generalization should stop. It's doing lots of harms and no good at all. When there was a xenophobic attack on Africans in South Africa, all Africans came out to condemn the evil, not minding if one was Nigeria or Ghana. All Nigerians condemned the evil, regardless of whether it was the Ibos that were mostly affected in the xenophobic attack. Why don't we condemn evil together as one Nigeria, not minding the tribe that perpetrated the evil. And without labelling all the tribe as perpetrators. Let's condemn the evil, and not the tribe that committed the evil. Until then, our peace as a nation would continue to be jeopardized." Ibrahim concluded while Bashir nodded his head.
"I just hope this non-retaliation approach works." Bashir said, unsatisfied with Ibrahim's submission.
"It will work. Two wrongs can never correct an evil. May Allah's protection never cease upon us all. Let's always sue for peace. The prophet (PBUH) also says 'Do you know what is better than charity and fasting and prayer? It is keeping peace and good relations between people, as quarrels and bad feelings destroy mankind.'
We won't gain anything from war other than destruction. Those who have witnessed war know that it is not a child's play. The Muslims are one brother. Nigeria is one. From the north to the south to the east and west, we are one Nigeria. Let's live as one. Let's live in peace. Let's quit hate speeches. Let's quit inciting words. Let's stop fuelling the ember of war. We're one nation. Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and other Nigerian tribes are all one Nigeria." Ibrahim concluded.
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Let's live in peace. Those who have read BEHIND MY SMILE will understand this addendum better.
Meanwhile, BEHIND MY SMILE is still selling fast. Get yours. Slide into my dm. We will get it across to you wherever you are in Nigeria.
GOD BLESS NIGERIA!
LATEEFAH ADEWUNMI JUMAH;LAJFINGERS