With less than 10 days to end this year Ramadan, members of different communities, ethnic groups, faiths, and nationalities have come together for a Ramadan meal to promote religious harmony in Kaduna state, North Western, Nigeria.
The event was attended by various Peace Ambassadors, the Center For Christian and Muslims Relationship, government officials, dignitaries, the Network of Peace Journalists, and religious leaders who served food and beverages to the different guests at the Interfaith Mediation Centre, (IMC), Kaduna.
Imam Dr. Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa the Co-director of IMC, stressed the need for peaceful coexistence between adherence of different faiths and cultures to ensure that “Civil Societies Organisations, International bodies, and government agencies can come together” to harmonize principles of tolerance and respect for one another for peace and stability in the country to reign.
He said Ramadan is a time Allah (SWT) showers us with his infinite mercy and blessings and many of us will be working hard to draw closer to Him to seek his forgiveness and maximize our rewards, “so this is also an act of righteousness that God wants”.
The Interfaith Iftar event is an opportunity for Non-Muslims to join our Muslim friends for an evening meal as they break their Ramadan fast together to strengthen Christians’ and Muslims’ relationship for peace and stability in the country.
Imam Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa emphasized the need for all stakeholders to double more efforts in promoting peace and harmony across the 23 local governments of Kaduna State.
Responding, one of the invited Church leaders at the event, Pastor Yohanna Buru said for the past 15 years, he has been joining top Nigerian Islamic scholars in breaking of Fast and said that the Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC) Ramadan Iftar is indeed apt and a step in the right direction.
Buru said the visitation is aimed at encouraging Christian-Muslim relationships in the State, to further strengthen peaceful co-existence, ties, religious tolerance, and forgiveness among Nigerians, and also spread the message of peace and unity.
Buru said, “Every year I usually visit top Nigerian Islamic leaders and scholars including the Sultan of Sokoto, Dr. Sa’ad Abubakar, Shiekh Dahiru Bauchi, Shiekh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, Shiekh Salihu Mai-Barota, Shiekh Ibrahim Yaya, Alaramma Abdulrahman Mohammed Bichi, Mallam Gambo Abdullahi Barnawa during the Ramadan to eat and drink together”.
Pastor Buru, was accompanied by some of his Church members to the Mediation House, IMC Interfaith Kaduna.
He pointed out that Iftar gives a golden opportunity for Christians all over the world to meet, interact, dialogue, promote interfaith activities, and spread the message of peace and better understanding, to live in peace and harmony with all mankind.
“We came to build a good relationship with Muslims and our religious teachers.
“We must love our Muslim neighbors, that is why we are here to join them in marking the holy month of Ramadan, urging them to rededicate their lives to the worship of Allah,”
He thanked the interfaith mediation center for organizing the event while calling on all states of Nigeria to be organizing the annual Ramadan iftar to strengthen Christian and Muslim relationships for peace and unity in the country.
In his remarks, the National President, of the Network of Peace Journalists in Nigeria (NPJ) Ibrahima Yakubu, who is equally the team leader of Africa Climate Reporters urged Muslims and Christians to embrace peace and unity
He stressed the need for the creation of a center of comparative studies which according to him would boost mutual understanding and forgiveness among the adherence of different Faith-Based organizations in the country.
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