AS WHOLLY WRITTEN BY Akeem Alao Babatunde:
From time to time, I have observed that it seems Arabic schools established to teach Muslims the Arabic language and Islam, are associated with brutality. Though some learned Muslims have tried to erase the mindset about the hostile lifestyle at Arabic schools.
One thing the Alfas fail to acknowledge is that subjecting students to maltreatment under the guise of instilling discipline has forced and will continue to force millions of vibrant Muslim youth out of Islam to embrace Christianity.
Lamenting canning sessions at Ilé-Kéú, many of them feel comfortable practising Christianity because it dignifies humanity. Millions of Muslims, now pastors, including my relatives, have been lost to Christianity. Shame!
While sharing my ugly experiences at Ilé-Kéú, in my series titled "A Serialisation of the Indelible Memory of Life at Ilé Keu and Life After", I narrated how some of us students escaped similar brutality. When the hostility became unbearable and hopes seemed evaporated, we escaped and wandered in Lagos streets for years.
Even the Hadith of the Prophet sternly warns against brutality, "- عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ
Islam never supports brutality. And that is why Muslims are usually encouraged to exhibit behaviour that helps promote the peace that Islam represents and preaches. Isn't it ironic a cleric that preaches peace could encourage his students to subject fellow students to brutality. In fact, the converse is truly the case.
Education, they say, illuminates the darkness. When things are going wrong, education comes in to right the wrongs. One of the significant roles western education plays in the life of every Muslim is to guide them in the right direction. This is the reason modern-day Muslims continue to preach that every Muslim gets western education.
I am an advocate of western education for Muslim boys and girls. It is a form of emancipation from the outlandish lifestyles many of them are gladly forced to live.
However, it surpassed my worst expectation that some of us Muslims are defending the brutality meted out to the students in the viral video on social media. They claim erroneously that the punishment was dispensed, following the instructions from the parents. Too bad. What a big mistake!
I am not surprised at all because I had once passed through the same inhuman, hostile system. As if born to suffer, some used to be tethered to a pole and some chained to a spot to prevent them from enjoying the freedom of movement.
In this 21st century, our Ile-keu should stop chasing Muslim children away. They should raise scholars and professionals. Their products causing unrest in society should serve as a deterrent."
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