Hello everyone, After going through this forum rules, I almost decided not to post here. But this was adapted from a true story, and I did very little to change the details. As a matter of fact all what I changed were the real characters' names, the chief character's name still remains "Kajiama". I have not insulted any religion, I have not criticized anybody's doctrine. All what I have done is to inform anybody that bother's to know the Nigerian real tale of how religion and tribal values suppressed and punished the expression of true love between two people. Now I understand that some DPers may not be interested in reading such, they may claim that this is not a literary forum. Well, I posted this for those that may be interested. If you are not interested please just exit this thread. Thank you. Part of the story goes thus: (The complete report is @ http://baremymind.wordpress.com/2011/03/07/kajiama/ ) KAJIAMA Two Muslims of northern ethnicity and I, an agnostic of a southern background, sat under the shade of a big tree enjoying the unpolluted rural atmosphere somewhere in Nigeria. And in the pleasantness of such ambiance, the following discussion ensued: “Do you know Kajiama, my friend, has married another wife after already having a family of a wife and five children?†Saleh, the first Muslim, announced in his usual Arabic singsong voice. “Why not? He can even marry two more since he is a Muslim,†Ahmad, the second Muslim said, beaming, obviously happy for Kajiama who he believed had indulged himself within the laws of Islam. “Or Dami, do you object to this too? Ahmad asked me. I didn’t respond. Then he said “I don’t expect you to comprehend. Your lack of belief in anything blinds you to everything. But why should you, Saleh, have anything against Kajiama’s second marriage. You’re a Muslim, and you should know that Islam allows it.†“Of course, I’m a Muslim and I understand our religion well. But this is different, Kajiama married against his will,†Saleh replied. “No, Islam does not allow that; Islam is a religion of peace and moral freewill. Islam is light, enlightenment and God’s guidance for man. Islam is . . .†Ahmad was saying. “He was forced to marry the love of his life,†Saleh said finally asserting the mind-bugging detail he had all along intended, and that did not fail to arrest my curiosity and intensify Ahmad’s. “How can a man be forced to marry the love of his life?†the agnostic and the Muslim inquired both in return. This prompted Saleh to go into the narrative of how Kajiama , a young educated northern Nigerian, was married to the woman he cherished and cared for without much consent nor approval . . . . . . Halima, a beautiful young girl of seventeen, had been married off to a man who had contributed largely to her family’s well-being. The man had given her father a land to farm, some goat to start a herd, and gifts of money from time to time. This man later became old, poor, infected with an incurable skin disease and his wives and children deserted him. Halima’s father felt obliged to give back to the old man, so he gave him his ninth child of twelve children, Halima, to cater for his needs. Of course, Halima was never in love with him and she suffered so much unhappiness, but she bore the burden ‘responsibly’ because she believed she was doing it for her family who would have all died in penury if not for the old man—as her father had convinced her. It was ironic that it was death that made her feel alive once again, because few years after they were married the old man passed away. And at the old man’s demise, she returned back to her father’s house with nothing (since her late husband was severely impoverished), but she felt liberated. And there, she awaited true love. As providence would have it, it was the celebration of the union (nikai) between a man and a woman they both knew that brought Kajiama and Halima together. In the atmosphere of such ceremony, which was opulent with love and romance, they could not help but come out of their shells and declare their desire for each other secretly. Halima knew Kajiama was married, but in the face of love and strong desire, it wasn’t any hindrance. Kajiama threw all caution to the wind as well, and he submitted to happiness for the first time. Such amour was a taboo among their people, but the sweetness of it was undeniable . . . . . . Kajiama watched his lover flogged like a stubborn cow from afar. Every whip of the koboko tore into his soul, but he resisted the urge to fight for her in a public filled with angry Muslims, who might mob, or even lynch both lovers right there if he made any move. His father had warned against it. He had told him that such lynching was known to have happened. The shame bestowed upon Halima was indelible; the damage done to her family’s reputation was irreparable. And she hid from all eyes. “The only thing that could alleviate the dishonor my son have brought on this people, is for my son to marry Halima,†Kajiama’s father said to his first wife, Kajiama’s mother, in the presence of Kajiama one morning some days after Halima’s public flogging. Kajiama’s mother looked at her son seeking for approval. Kajiama, with his face downwards looking at neither his mother nor father, nodded. The nikai was “. . . too simple and ill attended. The few people present labored through the ordeal of unspoken embarrassment till Kajiama and Halima were pronounced man and wife,†Saleh finished . . . The complete "report" is @ http://baremymind.wordpress.com/2011/03/07/kajiama/
This is wrong on so many levels I dont even know where to begin.. I will start the ball rolling with this blatant contradiction: ... Notice how it is the female who is flogged.
Depends what your idea of "peace" and "moral" mean. Seeing as muslims never believe they'll ever die they don't put the save value on human life as you and I do. Seeing as they don't believe killing someone is ending their life but rather just ending their time on earth, which will continue on where ever they go. Because of this, it's a pretty moral punishment in the muslim world to hang people just because their gay for example. To a muslim nothing is more important than God, if they had a direct order from Allah to kill their mother they'd think nothing of it. Seeing as they only believe that they exist in the first place to serve God. Difference of opinion will naturally cause a (sometimes large) difference of what is moral/pieceful and what is not.