In the Name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful Assassination is not a strange thing especially in political arena. The frustrated, coward, deviant and evil minded among them employ it as a means of eliminating their rivals whom they fear stand as stumbling blocks or threats to their attaining success. Like in many other countries, the political arena in Nigeria has witnessed so much blood bath and the pronouncement of ‘do or die’ politics by the former President Obasanjo has further heated-up the polity leading to desperation, violence, senseless killings within and outside political arena. Indeed some politicians have seen act of killing by direct assassination or indirect by violence reaction/ protest that will lead to killing and destruction of lives and properties as the best and easy way to eliminate any troublesome person who they consider a threat to their political goals.

Likewise, extremism and fanatical belief is not new in any religion as well. The Prophet himself witnessed and corrected some followers who wanted to incline to extremism in their worship. But now this has gained momentum to the extent of trying to force the faith on people of other beliefs and to gain power of governance forcefully, albeit, a religion clearly absolved from imposition (Q2: 256). Also there are suicides as a result of being coward or a frustrated person; disappointed; jilted; bored; or confused person in his/her hopelessness about condition, relationship and life challenges, which seems as outright failure or insurmountable.

Aside from political assassin, are treacherous business people who also assassinate in order to deny their business partner his right and usurp his money or share in a deal. Likewise, people with evil clandestine activities or cults do terminate life. They try to eliminate anyone whom they perceive has the knowledge and possibly can divulge their evil deeds. Such Muslims are described as ‘destitute’ by the Prophet, as ‘they will come before Allah on the Day of Judgement with good worship and appreciable righteous deeds, but the rewards of which, would be credited to those whom they have wrongfully oppressed, cheated, abused, punished, or killed unjustly in the world, and the oppressors would be left with nothing for their salvation and thereby land in Hell Fire’.

Certainly, the two motives – political or any other assassin and suicide and religious imposition, which have become machineries for some Muslims to achieve their political ambition and/or to relieve himself of life distress, are debased practices not sanctioned by Islam as means of attaining office at any time or for any reason of quitting field of life struggle.

Life is sacred in Islam and true post and success is by Allah’s will, this is what every Muslim politician should know. Allah says: “O Allah Lord of sovereignty, Thou give sovereignty to whosoever Thou please and Thou take away sovereignty from whomsoever thou please. Thou exalt whomsoever Thou please and Thou abase whomsoever Thou please. In Thy Hand is all good. Thou surely has power to do all things” Q3: 26.

“And kill not the soul which Allah has forbidden save for just cause. And who so is killed wrongfully, We have surely given his heir authority to demand retaliation but let him not exceed the prescribed bounds in the matter of taking life, for he is helped by the law” Q 17: 33.

Meaning that killing a soul wrongfully especially for post or power that actually is in Allah’s hands is erroneous and grievous and Sharia gives direct right for retribution - Qisas, (the law of equality in punishment). But If by mistake one must pay Diyah (blood money), which by calculation is presently about thirty six million naira (₦36,000,000: 00), only.

Now, are the sponsors of assassins and suicides ready to die the same death or do they pay better than this amount to their agents of death? Did the agents get this amount for the job done? Even though the amount is not for their kind of evil job and can they also volunteer for the same kind of death? If not, then why doing the dirty job? Why short changing themselves on earth where the money is needed? And why building own mansion of severe punishment and destruction for the hereafter despite being cheated? It amounts to double loss and this is what the master minds of evil and agents of death should seriously consider.

The sponsors and executors are the same in good and evil work. If you help and support a good cause, you share in all its credits and its eventual victory, and conversely, you cannot support a bad cause without sharing in all its evil consequences. Allah says: “Whoso makes a righteous intercession, shall have as share thereof and whoso make an evil intercession, shall have a like portion thereof and Allah is powerful over everything” Q4: 85.

The consequence of deliberate and wrongful killing has been spelt out clearly in the above verses, vis-a -vis, that killer must also be killed and that may not end the punishment of his evil deed, but the Hell Fire also awaits him/her- both the sponsor and the executor.

Killing any life or soul whether it is that of fetus or a child or an adult, is strictly forbidden by Islam even by mistake irrespective of religious inclination. Like accident, killing by mistake may not be prevented, and a genuine mistakenly killing is seriously sanctioned by Allah with stringent penalty so that one will as much as possible take all necessary care not to make one.

“It does not become a believer to kill a believer unless it be by mistake. And he who kills a believer by mistake shall free a believing slave, and pay blood money to be handed over to his heirs, unless they give it as charity. But if the person slain be of a people hostile to you and be a believer, then the offender shall free a believing slave and if he be of a people between whom and you is a pact, then the offender shall pay a blood money to be handed over to his heir. But whoso finds not one, then shall fast for two consecutive months – a mercy from Allah. And Allah is all Knowing, all Wise.” Q 4: 92.

But for anyone who intentionally kills any soul unjustly especially a Muslim, Allah made it clear that the only option for that killer and his accomplices is Hell Fire yet incurring Allah’s wrath.

“And whoso kill a believer intentionally, his reward shall be hell wherein he shall abide. And Allah will be wrath with him and will curse him and will prepare for him a great punishment” Q 4: 93.

“…And kill not your children for fear of poverty…and that you kill not the life which Allah has made sacred, save by right…”Q6:151.

“And kill not the soul which Allah has forbidden save for just cause. And who so is killed wrongfully, We have surely given his heir authority to demand retaliation but let him not exceed the prescribed bounds in the matter of taking life, for he is helped by the law” Q 17: 33.

When a Muslim therefore involves in intentional killing of another soul, he automatically deserved to be killed and by every means he does not deserve to be living. But if he kills any soul by accident, un-intentional, he must pay Diya (blood-money) now about thirty six million naira (N36,000,000: 00) only, which he may be fined by the judge, to pay the victim’s family, unless otherwise he is forgiven by that family! And when one unjustly or deceitfully evades his/her liability on earth, he stands to lose both the rewards of his righteous deeds and outright salvation on the Day of Judgment.

Unfortunately, our judges are not just, being timid, bribed and confused to pass right judgment. Their favoritism and complacency have made the vicious circle continue, especially in the political arena and public offices. But then escaping justice on earth is postponement of one’s Evil Day, as the Day of Resurrection is “The Day when secrets shall be disclosed. Man will have no strength and no helper” Q86: 9-10. That Day, all injustice will vanish, political assassins and the fanatics like Boko-Haram in their misguided ideology with their sponsors would be in trouble and everlasting damnation for what they have involved aside from short changing themselves greatly on earth.

The Prophet said: “He who commit suicide by throttling shall keep on throttling in Hell Fire forever, and he who commit suicide by stabbing himself shall keep on stabling himself in the Hell Fire forever” (Bukhari). So suicide bomber will continue to blow-up him/herself in the Hell Fire forever! But why would a sensible true believer commit suicide when Allah reiterates that, “There is ease after hardship; surely there is ease after hardship!” Q94: 5-6.

The Prophet also said: “After me, do not become disbelievers by striking the necks of one another” (Bukhari). Meaning that all unjust killers, political assassins and religious suicides are disbelievers for what they subscribed to. Indiscriminate killing does not commensurate with a true Muslim habit or Islamic practice. And he said: The most hated persons to Allah are three, …and one of them is a person who seeks to shed somebody’s blood without any right” (Bukhari). So habit of senseless killing of souls by Boko-Haram or any anybody does not at any time get Allah’s acceptance whatsoever the claim!

Governance and political life in Islam is based on sound spiritual and moral foundations and is guided by Divine Instructions. And whatever system of government a Muslim found himself, he must let these dictate his activity. The fact that Allah says that: “He is the Lord of sovereignty and bestow it on or removes it from whomsoever He wishes”- (Q3: 26), should tell a public office holder that the power neither belongs to him or the people but to Allah Who says: “Whatever of mercy Allah grants to men, there is none to withhold it; and whatever He withholds, there is none who can release it after that; and He is the Mighty, the Wise” Q35: 2. In the face of this, it is certain that ‘do or die’ ideology to attain power through political and religious means will have evil consequence on the souls and society, and in the hereafter, as it is in conflict with Allah’s will.

Persecution, aggression, injustice, cheating, oppression and killing, are all evil and sin which Islam strongly abhorred whether it is done in ‘favour’ of or against Islam. Allah has warned: “Eschew all sin, open or secret. Those who earn sin will get due recompense for their earnings” Q6: 120.

By this piece we expect Muslim assassins and suicides and their masters or sponsors in all manners of political, religious and any other motive, to have a vivid reflection on the fate of their forbidden trade and stop it, repent and seek Allah’s forgiveness, if at all they truly lay claim to Islam at any level. Without that, it would be an unprofitable double loss for them when they will realize it but without any chance of rectification.