According to Daily Post, some Muslims in Kaduna State on Saturday joined Christians at Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry, Sabon Tasha, to celebrate Christmas.
This, according to the General Overseer of the ministry, was to foster love, peace and unity among residents in the state irrespective of religion.
The general overseer of the ministry, Pastor Yohanna Buru expressed satisfaction over the large turnout of Muslim imams and youth from seven northern states of Nigeria that attended this year’s Christmas service.
This is the 10th year the church has been hosting Muslims from various states for Christmas celebrations.
He said, despite the insecurity bedevilling stability in the 19 northern states of Nigeria and outbreak of Omicron variant of COVID-19, coupled with the high cost of transportation, hundreds of Muslims, including women and children, attended this year’s Christmas morning service with the aim of strengthening good relationship, better understanding, love and religious tolerance.
He said over 500 Muslims from Kaduna, Kano, Zamfara, Katsina, Abuja and Niger joined his church at today’s Christmas service to promote peace and unity, adding that last year, the number of Muslims that attended the church service outnumbered Christians.
The cleric said that all the Muslims that attended the Christmas service were from all Islamic sects, cutting across Tijjaniya, Shi’ite, Kadriyya and Sunni. just as he further added that “We must remember that we are created by one God, and we are the children of Adam and Eve, and we both have our holy scriptures (Bible & Qur’an) from one God who guides us on how to live in peace and harmony with each other.”
He expressed worries over increased insecurity, daily bloodshed, banditry, kidnapping, attack and ethno-religion killing across the North which has affected the region in terms of education, agriculture, economy, and all sectors of human development.
He added that the outbreak of ethno-religious crisis in some parts of the Northern region has caused a serious setback to peace and stability of other sectors of development and hence, the need for both Muslims and Christians to live in peace and harmony to make the region better again.
He prayed to Almighty God to bring an end to the continuous killing of innocent citizens along highways and other villages while appreciating the efforts of states and the federal government in the deployment of security in some troubled zones.
The Man of God prayed for Nigeria’s military, police, and other volunteer para-military agencies towards success in all their peace missions across the world.
He said the church cannot forget the contributions of a Muslim woman, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani for the massive support to widows and orphans.
Responding, one of the Muslim scholars, Sheikh Ahmed Rufai said that this is not the first time of coming to celebrate Christmas with his friends in the church
He said, every Muslim the world over respect Jesus Christ and coming to the church to celebrate his birth, makes him happy.
He added that during the birth of Prophet Mohammed, SAW, Pastor Yohanna Buru usually comes to their mosques and celebrates the birth of the Prophet with them.
He thanked the church for the free meal and other donations which the pastor shared to all the Muslims that attended the church service.
He noted that coming to church and celebrating Christmas doesn’t make him a Christian, but to strengthen Christians and Muslims relationship for peace and unity among different faith-based organizations.
Similarly, the District Head of Kurmin Mashi Kaduna, Alhaji Rabo Abdullahi, Kurmin Mashi Sabon Layi said he is happy to see the number of Muslim youth and Imams that attended the Christmas service.
