(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - As their country is ravaged by deadly unrest, Nigeria’s Muslims have marked the birth of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) with prayers for peace in Africa’s most populous nation.
“We mark this occasion of the birthday of Prophet Muhammad with mixed feelings,” Professor Lakin Akintola, said a prominent Muslim rights activist.
“While we thank Almighty Allah for enabling many Nigerians to witness the occasion, we are filled with sadness at the thought of avoidable loss of lives through indiscriminate bombing and shooting of innocent Nigerians.”
Part of Muslims around the world marked the Prophet’s birthday earlier this week.
But the occasion was celebrated by Nigerian Muslims with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow as the country is rocked by attacks by the militant group Boko Haram.
“We are in despair over the senseless killing of Nigerians by fellow Nigerians and the sacrilegious invasion of churches,” said Akintola.
“We cannot be celebrating while fellow Nigerians are weeping over their dead and maimed.
“We therefore mourn with our mourning brothers and sisters wherever the bereaved may be. We pray that Allah will give all the affected families the strength to bear their losses.”
Marking the occasion, Nigerian authorities declared Monday, February 6, a national holiday.
President Goodluck Jonathan called on Muslims to pray for enduring peace, progress and stability in the country, a call echoed by Nigerian Muslim leaders.
“This year's Mauludul-Nabiyyi calls for sober reflections. It calls for prayers for our dear country,” Akintola said.
“Nigeria today is at the crossroads. The foundation of this country is shaking. We are now exactly where we were in 1967.
“We need prayers more than anything else to escape a bloody interregnum as witnessed between 1967 and 1971. Nigeria is living between two wars. We therefore urge all religious groups to pray for peace and tranquility.”
The Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, the country’s highest Muslim body, also echoed a similar call.
“As we mark the birthday of the Prophet of Allah, it bears stating here that he stood for human liberation and non-discrimination irrespective of class, race and creed,” Dr. Abdul-Lateef Adegbite, the NSCIA scribe, said.
“We therefore must unite against the inhuman and purely anti-Islam violent campaign of Boko Haram which hides under Islam to perpetrate violence.”
“As is now clear, the group is fighting for God knows what as it presses ahead its monstrous campaign that spares nobody, including Muslims. So we call on our brothers and sisters nationwide to join government to route Boko Haram.”
/129
“We mark this occasion of the birthday of Prophet Muhammad with mixed feelings,” Professor Lakin Akintola, said a prominent Muslim rights activist.
“While we thank Almighty Allah for enabling many Nigerians to witness the occasion, we are filled with sadness at the thought of avoidable loss of lives through indiscriminate bombing and shooting of innocent Nigerians.”
Part of Muslims around the world marked the Prophet’s birthday earlier this week.
But the occasion was celebrated by Nigerian Muslims with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow as the country is rocked by attacks by the militant group Boko Haram.
“We are in despair over the senseless killing of Nigerians by fellow Nigerians and the sacrilegious invasion of churches,” said Akintola.
“We cannot be celebrating while fellow Nigerians are weeping over their dead and maimed.
“We therefore mourn with our mourning brothers and sisters wherever the bereaved may be. We pray that Allah will give all the affected families the strength to bear their losses.”
Marking the occasion, Nigerian authorities declared Monday, February 6, a national holiday.
President Goodluck Jonathan called on Muslims to pray for enduring peace, progress and stability in the country, a call echoed by Nigerian Muslim leaders.
“This year's Mauludul-Nabiyyi calls for sober reflections. It calls for prayers for our dear country,” Akintola said.
“Nigeria today is at the crossroads. The foundation of this country is shaking. We are now exactly where we were in 1967.
“We need prayers more than anything else to escape a bloody interregnum as witnessed between 1967 and 1971. Nigeria is living between two wars. We therefore urge all religious groups to pray for peace and tranquility.”
The Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, the country’s highest Muslim body, also echoed a similar call.
“As we mark the birthday of the Prophet of Allah, it bears stating here that he stood for human liberation and non-discrimination irrespective of class, race and creed,” Dr. Abdul-Lateef Adegbite, the NSCIA scribe, said.
“We therefore must unite against the inhuman and purely anti-Islam violent campaign of Boko Haram which hides under Islam to perpetrate violence.”
“As is now clear, the group is fighting for God knows what as it presses ahead its monstrous campaign that spares nobody, including Muslims. So we call on our brothers and sisters nationwide to join government to route Boko Haram.”
/129