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Ridwan Jamiu
‘And the Lord said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart’
(Jeremiah 14:14)
In the countdown to the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria, several predictions and premonitions rented the air. Many of local, international and social media made spurious claims relying on uncertain variables. Nigerians have however decided through the polls.
What is intriguing and worrying is the failed prophesies of church leaders: pastors, reverends and the so-called men of God. Many Nigerian Christians felt disappointed and ‘prophets’ were obviously embarrassed that the elections held and that victory eluded their anointed candidates, contrary to what they claim God had vouchsafed to them. Many Christian adherents undeservedly doubted God. The unfulfilled prophesies made their trust and belief in God shaky and their doubt creaky. The fallout of the election showed how much Christians believe in the words of their leaders; their words are treated like God’s words. In fact, some of these pastors have been practically taken for God by their followers. Despite several reasons to make one sever and free from the shackles and manacles of priestly onslaught, many would not budge, as if hypnotized.
Every reasonable person would find appalling some things many Christians do today in complete avowal and allegiance to their leaders, which portray the followership as sheepish and honestly gullible lackeys. They are not all alike though. Likewise is such found among some Muslims.
Nigerians are largely religious but not godly. Godliness breeds piety which in turns breeds discipline, kindness and respect for others. Impiety breeds indiscipline, impunity and wickedness. Unfortunately, the latter three are the unholy trinity that define many religious people – a proof that their religiosity is doubtful and probably built upon false creed and wrong premise. ‘For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.’ (2 Timothy 4:3)
Clerics have two major roles to play in the society: Guide people to God and salvation hereafter, and apply religious teachings to promote righteousness and peaceful-co-existence.
Unfortunately, many religious houses today only promote nuisance, disorder, laziness, blind following, bigotry, fanaticism, fear of the unknown and deception, in the name of God. ‘For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ’ (2 Corinthians 11:13).
‘What I fear most for Muslims are the misleading leaders.’ Prophet Muhammad.
The mind longs for its Maker as the stomach longs for food. Every made object is a proof of the existence of its maker. The universe, including you and I are a strong proof of the existence of a Great Maker and Fashioner, a Wise Creator and Sustainer, the Almighty God and the Lord of the worlds- the uncreated Creator of all creatures, the Bestower of all abilities and favour. That is Allah in Arabic and Hausa languages. Religion wants us to understand God, know how to relate with Him, do good works so that we can be happy on earth and enjoy eternal bliss in paradise hereafter. It teaches that there is God; He is One; there is no other God(s) besides Him; He has no equal or partner; He forbids the worship of a thing or being besides Him; He forbids that we call upon any supernatural being or power besides Him or to put our trusts in objects such as talisman, amulets and charms; He forbids hero and demon worship.
“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me” (Isaiah 46:9). “That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the West, that there is none beside Me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness, I make peace and create evil: I the Lord do all these things” (Isaiah 45:5-7).
‘Now as he was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before him and asked him, ‘Good teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?’ so Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me ‘good?’ No one is good but one that is God…’ (Mark 10:17-18). Jesus was not God. We should not pray to him. Jesus said, ‘It is written, you shall worship the Lord your God and Him only you shall serve’ (Luke 4:8).
The book of Act (3:26) says, “When God raised up His servant, Jesus, He sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.” Jesus was a servant of God, not our Lord or God. There is no trinity in the teachings of Jesus.
The Bible says, “When Jesus was at the point of death he cried with a loud voice “My God, My God, why have you deserted me?” (Mark 15: 34).we should pray to God, not to Jesus. The Bible says, ‘Come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker’ (Psalm 95:6).
‘And your God is one God. There no deity (worthy of worship) except Him, the Gracious, the Merciful.’ (The Quran 2:163). He says, ‘O mankind! Worship your Lord who created you and those before you so that you may become righteous. (He) made for you the earth as a bed (spread out) and the sky a ceiling and sent down from the sky rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you. So do not attribute to Allah equals while you know (that there is nothing similar to Him)’ (The Quran 2:21-22).
About moral teaching, the Scriptures say, “You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’ Mark 10:19.
“Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. “‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight. “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord. “‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor (i.e., a fellow human) fairly.‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people. ‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord. ‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 16:13-18)
The Qur’an (6:151-153) provides thus: Worship God alone; be kind to your parents; raise your children well (do not cause their death out of poverty); abstain from immoralities – open or hidden; do not commit murder (life is sacred); do not consume orphan’s wealth unjustly (rather improve it); give full measures and scales; be just and truthful in speech; keep God’s covenants; follow the only way God has established for people.
These are some beautiful teachings and messages clerics are expected to meticulously spread and entrench so that we can become righteous and pious and secure prosperity here and salvation hereafter. But houses of God have been hijacked by rascals and jackals.
An incisive reading of the scriptures prove that there are no more prophets on earth, after ‘the Prophet- the last Prophet of God, and therefore there are no more prophesies and no more miracles.
John (1:19 -25) reads thus:
“This is John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask, “Who are you?” he spoke out openly and did not deny, but declared, I am not the Christ. They inquired, “Who then are you! Are you Elijah?” he replied, “I am not “. Are you “the Prophet?” he answered, “No.”
The verse is a proof that the Jews, according to the prophetic prophecies, were to expect three holy personages: the Christ, Elijah and ‘the Prophet’. But John the Baptist denied being any of them possibly to escape Jewish assault which he perceived through the circumstances, for he was really the Elijah meant here. That is, he came in the spiritual power of Elijah. Jesus said “Among them that are born of women there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist… And if you will receive it, this is Elijah which was for to come.” Mathew (11:11 -15)
More so, the fact that Jesus was the Christ was clear to those who believed in him. Who then is ‘The Prophet’? The Prophet is certainly the Prophet Muhammad. He is the only true Prophet who came after Jesus. The word ‘Prophet’ is reserved only for true messengers of God and the divinely inspired Teachers who received revelations from Allah, the last of whom was Prophet Muhammad.
Likewise, true prophecies can only come from true Prophets of God. Believe not in no other Prophet after Prophet Muhammad, and believe not in any prophecy from any other human. ‘Revelations and prophesies have ceased, there will be no Prophet after me.’ Prophet Muhammad said. See Qur’an 33: 40. Ahmadiyya Movement is ostracized by all Muslim scholars because its founder, Ahmad Ghulam (d. 1908), claimed to be a prophet.
The spurious prophesies being made today are as good as guesswork of diviners and fortune-tellers. God did not speak to those who made prophesies about elections; Satan deceived them. But they did not lie about those prophesies; they are prophesies from Satan and anything from Satan must be contradictory and fraudulent. ‘For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets,’ (Mathew 24:24). “Surely, the devils whisper to their human associates…” (Qur’an 6:121).
We no longer need prophesies and miracles, we need informed approach and practical solutions to our problems. Let us not allow the clergy to retard our growth and development as it retarded the development of Europe before the Renaissance.
“Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge. Fools have no interest in understanding…” Proverbs 18:15 and 2
Imam Ridwan Jamiu,
Lagos.
ridone1424@gmail.com
