Yayin wata tattaunawa, an faɗa mini:

During the course of a discussion I was told:

"Ba ka da 'yanci" (ko "Ba kai mai 'yanci ba").

“You are not liberal".

"Me yasa?" na tambaye shi.

"Why?" I asked him.

"Shin kana yarda da wanzuwar Allah?" ya ce. Note: per your rules, "God" is rendered with the Hausa word for God, so the correct translation is: "Shin kana yarda da wanzuwar Ubangiji?" ya ce.

"Do you believe in the existence of a God?" he said.

"Eh, na yi".

"Yes, I do".

"Kana yin salla kuma kana azumi saboda Shi?" "Ina yi."

"Do you pray and fast for Him?" "I do".

"To, ba ka da sassauci ba ke nan."

"Well, then you are not liberal".

Sai na tambaye shi:

Thereupon I asked him:

"Yaya zan ce cewa ni ba mai tunani ba ne mai 'yanci?" "Saboda kana gaskata wauta wadda babu wanzuwarta ko kadan," ya fada mini. "Kai kuwa? Me ku mutane kuke gaskatawa? Me kuke tunanin ya halicci duniya da rayuwa?" na tambaye shi.

"How do you say that I am not a freethinker?" "Because you believe in nonsense that has no existence at all," he told me "And you? What do you people believe in? What do you think created universe and life?" I asked him.

"Dabi'a!" "Amma menene Dabi'a?" "Ita ce ƙarfi ɓoyayye wanda ba shi da iyaka, amma tana da bayyanuwa da za a iya fahimta ta gaɓoɓin hankali," ya ce. A nan sai na ce: "Na fahimci wannan magana taka da cewa kana hana ni imani da wani ƙarfi wanda ba a sani ba, domin kana so in yi imani da wani ƙarfi daban mai daidai da wancan ba a sani ba. Amma tambayar ita ce, don me zan ƙi Ubangijina saboda wani allah daban na ƙarya, wanda shi ma ba a sani ba, musamman ma da yake a cikin wannan Ubangiji nake samun salama, nutsuwa da kwanciyar hankali, alhali allahn ƙarya na Dabi'a ba ya amsa kirana, ba ya kuma ta'azantar da ni?" Wannan a takaice shi ne halin masu ci-gaba waɗanda ke magana game da 'yancin tunani. A wajensu, 'yancin tunani yana nufin 'yancin ƙin Ubangijin mutum. Amma wannan ba 'yancin tunani ba ne, 'yancin kafirci ne. Daga waɗannan tushe suke zargin Musulunci da takura 'yancin tunani kawai saboda yana hana kafirci. To amma tambayar ita ce: Shin 'yancin tunani da kafirci abu ɗaya ne, kuma shin kafirci hakika sharadi ne wajibi ga 'yancin tunani? Tarihin 'yantaccen tunani na Turai ya ruɗe su, har suka manta cewa idan wasu yanayi na gida sun wajabta yaɗuwar kafirci a Turai, hakan ba yana nufin abu ɗaya ya kamata ya faru a ko'ina a duniya ba.

"Nature!" "But what is Nature?" "It is the secret power that is limitless but has got manifestations which can be perceived by the sense organs," he said, At this I said: "I understand by this statement of yours that you prevent me from believing in an unknown power because you want me to believe in another equally unknown power. But the question is that why should I disown my God for the sake of another equally unknown but false god, especially when in the one I find peace, tranquility and comfort, whereas the false god of Nature neither answers my call, nor comforts me?" This in short is the case of the progressives who talk about freedom of thought. For them freedom of thought is synonymous to freedom of disowning one's God. This is, however, not freedom of thought but freedom of atheism. Starting with these premises they accuse Islam of restricting the freedom of thought simply because it prohibits atheism. But the question is: Is freedom of thought and atheism one and the same thing, and is atheism really a necessary precondition to the freedom of thought? Misled by the history of European liberalism they overlook the fact that if certain local circumstances necessitated the spread of atheism in Europe, this does not mean that the same thing should happen everywhere in the world.

Babu shakka cewa hoton Kiristanci kamar yadda Coci a Turai ya gabatar da shi, tare da danne kimiyya, azabtar da masana kimiyya, da yada karya da camfi cikin sunan maganar Allah, ya tura masu tunani masu 'yanci na Turai zuwa ga kafirci. Masana na Turai sun zama dole su zabi tsakanin halaye biyu da ba za su taba dacewa ba:

There is no doubt that the image of Christianity as presented by the church in Europe with its suppression of science, torturing of scientists and passing on a set of lies an superstitions in the name of the word of God drove the free thinkers of Europe to atheism. The intellectuals of Europe had to choose between two irreconcilable attitudes:

imani na dabi'a da Allah ko kuma imani da gaskiyar kimiyya ta ka'ida da ta aiki. Note: The system rules say to write the Hausa word for God, never "Allah". Correcting that, the translation should read: imani na dabi'a ga Ubangiji ko kuma imani da gaskiyar kimiyya ta ka'ida da ta aiki.

the natural belief in God or the belief in theoretical and practical scientific facts.

Masana ilimi na Turai sun samu wata mafita ta wani ɓangare daga cikin wannan matsala ta hanyar Yanayi. Don haka suka ce wa coci: "Ku karɓi Allahnku - a'a, Ubangijinku - wanda da sunansa kuke bautar da mu, kuke ɗora mana haraji masu nauyi, kuke mana mulkin kama-karya da camfe-camfe. Note: the rules require "God", not "Allah", so the translation uses the Hausa word for God, Ubangiji/Allah is avoided. Correcting that, here is the faithful version: Masana ilimi na Turai sun samu wata mafita ta wani ɓangare daga cikin wannan matsala ta hanyar Yanayi. Don haka suka ce wa coci: "Ku karɓi Ubangijinku wanda da sunansa kuke bautar da mu, kuke ɗora mana haraji masu nauyi, kuke mana mulkin kama-karya da camfe-camfe.

The European intellectuals found in Nature a partial escape from the dilemma. So they said to the church: "Take back your God in whose name you enslave us and impose on us burdensome exactions and subject us to tyrannous dictatorship and superstitions.

"Imani da Allah naka" ba, a'a, "imani da Ubangijinka" yana bukatar mu rayu rayuwar zuhudu ta masu bautar kadaici da masu nisantar duniya, amma mu muna ƙin bin umarninka. Saboda haka, za mu sami sabon Ubangiji wanda yake da yawancin siffofin Ubangiji na farko, amma wanda ba shi da coci da zai bautar da mu, kuma ba ya ɗora mana wani wajibi na ɗabi'a, na hankali ko na abin duniya kamar yadda Ubangijinka yake yi. Note: the rules require "God" to be written as the Hausa word for God, so the translation above uses "Ubangiji" rather than "Allah".

The belief in your God wants us to lead the ascetic life of hermits and recluses, we refuse to do your bidding. We shall, therefore, have a new God who possessed most of the qualities of the first God but who has no church to enslave us, nor does He impose on us any moral, intellectual or materialistic obligations as your God does".

Amma a Musulunci babu irin abin da zai iya kai mutane ga kafirci. Babu wasu matsaloli a nan da za su rikitar da hankali. Akwai Allah guda ɗaya kawai; Shi ne ya halicci dukkan halittu, kuma dukkansu za su koma gare Shi. Ra'ayi ne bayyananne kuma mai sauƙi wanda ko masana kimiyyar halitta da masu kafirci za su iya samun wahalar ƙi ko shakka a kansa.

But in Islam there is no such thing as may drive people to atheism. There are no dilemmas here which puzzle the mind. There is only one God; He has created all beings and all will return to Him. It is a clear and simple concept which even the naturalists and atheists may find hard to reject or doubt.

A cikin Musulunci babu malaman coci irin waɗanda cocin Turai take da su. Addini dukiya ce ta kowa, kuma kowane Musulmi yana da damar amfana da shi gwargwadon iyawarsa ta ɗabi'a, ta ruhi da ta hankali. Dukan mutane daidai suke, kuma ana bi da su gwargwadon ayyukansu a rayuwa. Mafi daraja daga cikin mutane su ne masu tsoron Allah, ko sun kasance injiniyoyi, malamai, ma'aikata ko sana'ar hannu. Amma addini ba ɗaya ba ne daga cikin waɗannan sana'o'i masu yawa. Babu malaman coci na sana'a a Musulunci, don haka ana gudanar da ibadar Musulunci ba tare da shiga tsakani na wani malamin coci ba. Amma yana da muhimmanci wasu mutane su ƙware wajen nazarin fiqhu da shari'a, wadda tsarin jama'a ya dogara a kanta. Matsayin da waɗannan masana fiqhu da dokokin tsarin mulki na Musulunci suke da shi bai wuce na takwarorinsu a sauran ƙasashe ba. Ba su da wani iko ko wata daraja ta aji a kan mutane. Su masu ba da shawara ne kuma masana fiqhu na gwamnati kawai. Ya kamata a nuna a nan cewa Al-Azhar cibiyar addini ce, amma ba ta da ikon ƙona mutane ko azabtar da su, kamar yadda malaman coci suke yi. Abin da Al-Azhar take iya yi shi ne ƙalubalantar da kuma sukar fahimtar addini ta mutum. Amma a ɗaya bangaren, duk wanda yake waje ma zai iya ƙalubalantar da kuma soki fahimtar Al-Azhar game da addini, domin Musulunci ba mallakar wani mutum ko wani aji ba ne. Mutanen da ake ɗauka a matsayin hujja a al'amuran addini su ne kawai waɗanda, bisa zurfin fahimtarsu game da shi, suke aiwatar da shi a rayuwa ta zahiri, ba tare da la'akari da sana'arsu ba.

In Islam there are no churchmen such as the European church had. Religion is the common property of all and every Muslim is entitled to benefit from it as much as his natural, spiritual and intellectual equipment may permit. All people are equal and they are treated as they deserve in the light of their deeds in life. The more honored of all people are the God-fearing individuals whether they are engineers, teachers, workmen or craftsmen. But religion is not one of these so many occupations. There are no professional churchmen in Islam, so that Islamic worship is observed without the intercession of a churchman. But it is necessary that some people should specialize in the study of jurisprudence and Jaw on which public order is based. The status such specialists in Islamic jurisprudence and constitutional law enjoy is not more than that which their counterparts in other countries do. They are not entitled to any authority or class prestige over the people. They are just the jurisprudents and counsels of the state. It may be pointed out here that Al-Azhar is a religious institute but it does not have, as the churchmen did, the authority to burn or torture people. All that Al-Azhar can do is to challenge and criticize an individual’s understanding of religion. But on the other hand, anyone from outside can as well challenge and criticize Al-Azhar's understanding of religion, for Islam is not the monopoly of any individual or class. Only those persons are considered as an authority on questions of religion who in the light of their deep understanding of it apply it to practical life regardless of their own professions.

Idan an kafa mulkin Musulunci, malaman addini (Ulama) ba za su zama gwamnoni, ministoci ko shugabannin sassan gwamnati ta atomatik ba. Abin da kawai zai canza shi ne tsarin mulki zai dogara ne akan Shari'ar Musulunci (Doka) - dokar Allah.

When the Islamic rule is established the "Ulama" (Islamic scholars) will not automatically become the governors or ministers or heads of departments. The only change is that the system of rule will be based on Islamic Sharia (Law)-the law of God.

Injiniyoyi za su ci gaba da kasancewa masu kula da ayyukan injiniya, likitoci za su kasance masu alhakin al'amuran lafiya, masana tattalin arziki kuma za su jagoranci rayuwar tattalin arziki ta al'umma, amma bambancin kawai shi ne cewa tattalin arzikin Musulunci shi kaɗai zai ba su jagororin aiki.

The engineers will continue to be charged with the engineering works, the doctors will be responsible for medical affairs, the economists will direct the economic life of the community with the only change that the Islamic economy alone will then provide them with the guidelines.

Tarihi ya shaida cewa addinin Musulunci da tsarin mulkinsa ba su taba yin karo da kimiyya ko aiwatar da ka'idojinta ba. Babu wani masanin kimiyya a Musulunci da aka taba kona shi ko azabtar da shi saboda ya gano ko ya sanar da wata gaskiyar kimiyya. Ainihin kimiyya ba ta sabawa addinin Musulunci da imani cewa Allah ne ya halicci komai. Musulunci yana kira ga mutane su yi nazarin sararin samaniya da duniya, kuma su yi tunani a kan halittarsu domin gano kasancewar Allah. Ya kamata a tuna cewa masana kimiyya da yawa na Yamma wadanda ba su yi imani da Allah ba, sun zo gano kasancewarsa ta hanyar bincike na kimiyya mai inganci.

History bears witness that neither the Islamic faith nor its system of rule ever came into conflict with science or the application of its theories. No scientist in Islam has ever been burnt or tortured for discovering or announcing a scientific fact. True science is not in conflict with the Islamic faith and the belief that God created everything. Islam calls on people to study space and earth and to meditate on their creation in order to discover the existence of God. It should be remembered that many Western scientists who did not believe in God came to discover His existence through proper scientific research.

Babu wani abu a cikin Musulunci da zai iya tura mutane zuwa ga kafirci. Masu goyon bayan kafirci a Gabas ba komai ba ne illa makafin mabiya ga tsoffin ubangidansu na mulkin mallaka. Suna son a ba su 'yancin kai hari ga addini da dukkan nau'o'in ibada, kuma su matsa wa mutane lamba su watsar da addininsu. To amma don me suke son irin wannan 'yanci? A Turai, mutane sun nemi kai wa addini hari don su 'yantar da zukatansu daga tsafi da kuma 'yantar da mutane daga zalunci da danniya. Amma idan akidar Musulunci ta riga ta ba su dukkan 'yancin da suke bukata ko kuma suke ta kukan nema, me ya sa za su kai mata hari? Gaskiyar magana ita ce, wadannan da ake kira masu 'yanci ba sa sha'awar 'yancin tunani, illa sha'awar yada lalacewar dabi'a da rashin kamun kai na jima'i. Suna amfani da 'yancin tunani a matsayin abin rufe fuska don boye munanan manufofinsu. Ba komai ba ne face sutura a cikin mummunan yakinsu da addini da dabi'a. Suna adawa da Musulunci ba don yana takura 'yancin tunani ba, sai dai saboda yana tsaya wa 'yantar da bil'adama daga mamayar sha'awoyinta marasa daraja.

There is nothing in Islam which may drive people on to atheism. The advocates of atheism in the East are but blind followers of their erstwhile colonialist masters. They want to be given the freedom to attack the faith and all kinds of worship and to urge people to abandon their religion. But why do they want such freedom? In Europe, people sought to attack religion in order to liberate their minds from superstition and to free people from oppression and tyranny. But if Islamic faith already gives them all the freedom they need to have or they clamor for, why should they attack it? The truth is that these so-called liberals are not interested in the freedom of thought but are rather more interested in spreading moral corruption and uncontrolled sexual anarchy. They use freedom of thought as a mask to hide their base motives. It is no more than a camouflage in their hideous war against religion and morality. They are against Islam not because it restricts freedom of thought but only because it stands for the liberation of mankind from the dominance of its baser passions.

Masu goyon bayan "’yancin tunani" suna zargin cewa tsarin mulki na Musulunci tsarin kama-karya ne, saboda gwamnati tana da iko mai yawa. Abin da ya fi muni, a cewarsu, shi ne gwamnati tana jin iko da hukunci mai girma da sunan addini, wanda yake da matukar jan hankalin mutane. Don haka sai su mika kansu ba tare da bincike ba ga mulkinta na zalunci. Saboda haka, in ji su, wadannan manyan iko suna kai ga mulkin kama-karya, talakawa kuma ana mai da su bayi ba tare da hakkin yin tunani da kansu ba. ’Yancin tunani ya bace har abada. Babu wanda zai kuskura ya kalubalanci masu mulki, kuma duk wanda ya yi haka ana zarginsa da tawaye ga addini da Allah.

The advocates of "free thinking" allege that the Islamic system of rule is dictatorial because the state has vast powers. The worst of it, they say, is that the state enjoys immense power and authority in the name of the faith which has a very great attraction for the people. So they blindfoldly subject themselves to its tyrannical rule. Thus, they conclude, these vast powers lead to dictatorship and the common people are made slaves with no right to think for themselves. The freedom of thought is lost for ever. None dare challenge the rulers and he who does is accused of rebellion against religion and God.

Waɗannan zarge-zargen ƙarya ya fi kyau a karyata su ta hanyar komawa ga waɗannan ayoyi na Alƙur'ani mai tsarki: 1. "Kuma al'amarinsu shawara ce a tsakaninsu" (xlii: 38). 2. "Kuma idan kun yi hukunci tsakanin mutane, ku yi hukunci da adalci" (iv: 58).

These false accusations are best refuted by referring to these verses of the Holy Qur'an : 1 “And their government is by counsel among themselves" (xlii: 38). 2. “And when you judge between people you judge with justice" (iv: 58).

Abu Bakr, Halifa na farko, ya ce: "Ku bi ni muddin da nake biyayya ga Allah da Manzonsa. Amma idan na saba wa Allah ko Manzonsa, ba ni da hakkin a bi ni." Note on the rules: the rule says to write the Hausa word for God rather than "Allah", so the translation should read: Abu Bakr, Halifa na farko, ya ce: "Ku bi ni muddin ina biyayya ga Allah da Manzonsa..." → corrected to use the Hausa word for God: Abu Bakr, Halifa na farko, ya ce: "Ku bi ni muddin ina biyayya ga Ubangiji da Manzonsa. Amma idan na saba wa Ubangiji ko Manzonsa, ba ni da hakkin a bi ni."

Abu Bakr, the first Caliph said: "Obey me so long as I obey God and His Prophet. But if I disobey God or the Prophet I shall no longer be entitled to your obedience".

Umar ya yi jawabi ga Musulmai yana cewa: "Ku gyara ni idan kun ga wani karkata a cikina". Sai wani daga cikin masu sauraro ya amsa da cewa: "Na rantse da Allah Madaukaki, da mun ga wani karkata a cikinka, da mun gyara ka da takubbanmu".

Omar addressed the Muslims saying: "Put me right if you discover any crookedness in me". One of the audience retorted: “By God Almighty if we had found any crookedness in thee we should have put you right with our swords".

Gaskiya ne cewa zalunci da mulkin kama-karya sun yi mulki da sunan addini. Haka kuma gaskiya ne cewa irin wannan zalunci har yanzu yana mamaye wasu ƙasashe da sunan addini. Amma shin addini ne kaɗai abin rufe fuska da masu mulkin kama-karya ke amfani da shi? Shin Hitler ya yi mulki da sunan addini? Yanzu an yarda ko da a Rasha cewa Stalin azzalumi ne kuma mai mulkin kama-karya wanda ya yi mulki a kan ƙasar 'yan sanda.

It is true that oppression and tyranny ruled in the name of religion. It is also true that such oppression still dominates in some countries in the name of religion. But is religion the only mask used by dictators? Did Hitler rule in the name of religion? It is now admitted even in Russia, that Stalin was a tyrant and a dictator who ruled over a police state.

Shin Stalin ya yi mulki da sunan addini ne? Shin dukkan azzaloman mulki da masu kama-karya, kamar Mao Tse-tung, Franco, Malan na Afirka ta Kudu, da Chiang Kai-shek na Kuomintang na China, sun yi mulki ne da sunan addini? Babu shakka karni na ashirin, wanda ya yi nasarar kawar da mulkin addini, ya shaida mafi munin kama-karya, wadanda ke yaudarar bil'adama da sunaye masu kayatarwa, ba kasa da tsarki da addini ba.

But did Stalin rule in the name of religion? Do all tyrants and dictators including Mao Tse-tung, Franco, Malan in South Africa, Chiang Kai-shek in Na’ionalist China, dominate on behalf of religion? There is no doubt that the twentieth century which has managed to get rid of religious domination has witnessed the most monstrous dictatorships which beguile mankind by attractive names no less sacred than religion.

Babu wanda zai goyi bayan mulkin kama-karya; babu mutumin da yake da hankali mai 'yanci da lamiri da zai amince da shi. Amma kowane ƙa'ida mai daraja za a iya yin amfani da ita a matsayin abin rufe-rufe don ɓoye burin kai. Juyin Juya Halin Faransa ya ga an aikata mafi munin laifuffuka da sunan 'yanci. Amma wannan bai kamata a ɗauka a matsayin uzuri na yaƙar 'yanci ba. Ɗaruruwan mutane marasa laifi an ɗaure su, an azabtar da su ko an kashe su saboda kundin tsarin mulki. Shin, to, a soke dukkan kundin tsarin mulki ke nan? Zalunci da danniya sun mamaye wasu ƙasashe da sunan addini. Shin, saboda haka, mu bar dukkan addinai ke nan? Zai dace a bar addini idan addinin kansa ne yake yin kira zuwa ga zalunci da rashin adalci. Wannan ba za a iya faɗa game da Musulunci ba, wanda ya kafa mafi daraja misalai na adalci tsantsa da daidaito, ba kawai a tsakanin Musulmai da kansu ba, har ma tsakanin Musulmai da maƙiyansu masu tsanani.

No One would defend dictatorship; no man of free intellect and conscience would approve of it. But any noble principle can be exploited and used as a mask to hide personal ambitions. The French Revolution witnessed the most heinous crimes being committed in the name of liberty. But this should not be taken as a pretext for fighting against liberty. Hundreds of innocent people have been imprisoned, tortured or murdered on behalf of the constitution. Should all constitutions be annulled then? Oppression and tyranny dominated some countries in the name of religion. Should we, therefore, abandon all religions? It would be right to abandon religion if religion as such were to advocate oppression and injustice. This cannot be said of Islam which established the noblest examples of pure justice and equity not only among the Muslims themselves but between Muslims and their fatal enemies as well.

Ana iya yaƙar zalunci mafi kyau ta hanyar koyar da mutane su yi imani da Allah, su kuma girmama 'yanci, wanda addini ke karewa da kiyayewa. Irin waɗannan mutane ba za su bari shugaba ya aikata zalunci ba, amma za su tsare shi cikin iyakokin ikonsa na doka. Ban yi tunanin akwai wani tsari da ya taɓa nufin kafa adalci ko adawa da zalunci kamar yadda Musulunci ya yi ba. Musulunci ya sanya wa mutane wajibi su gyara shugaba idan ya yi zalunci. Annabi ﷺ ya ce: "Duk wanda ya ga wani mummunan aiki, ya canza shi." Haka kuma ya ce: "Kalmar gaskiya da ake faɗa a gaban shugaba azzalumi ita ce mafi girman jihadi (yaƙin tsarki)."

Tyranny is best fought by teaching the people to believe in God and to respect freedom which is defended and safeguarded by religion. Such people would not allow the ruler to commit injustice, but will keep him within the limits of his legal powers. I do not think that any system has ever aimed at the establishment of justice or the opposition of tyranny as much as Islam did. Islam made it a duty of the people to put the ruler right if he is unjust. The Prophet Says: "He who witnesses any vice should change it". He also says: "A word of Justice uttered before all unjust ruler is the greatest of Jihad (holy war)".

Saboda waɗannan ka'idojin ne mutane suka yi tawaye ga Uthman, Khalifa na uku, lokacin da suka yi imani cewa ya karkata daga tafarki madaidaici, ko da yake wannan tawayen da kansa ya haifar da wata karkata mafi girma.

It was due to these very principles that the people revolted against Othman, the third Caliph, when they believed that he had deviated from the straight course though the revolution itself brought about even a greater deviation.

A ƙarshe, muna so mu ba waɗannan "masu ci gaba masu tunani cikin 'yanci" wata shawara. Hanyar 'yanci ta gaskiya ba ita ce barin addini ba, a'a ita ce ba mutane ruhin juyin-juya-hali wanda ke ƙyamar zalunci kuma yana gyara abin da ya zama ba daidai ba. Wannan ruhi a zahiri ruhin al'ummar Musulunci ne.

In conclusion we would like to drop a word of advice to these "progressive free thinkers". The true way of liberation is not the abandonment of religion but in giving people the revolutionary spirit which abhors injustice and rectifies the unjust. This spirit is essentially the spirit of the Islamic people.