A Zamfara based Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmed Kanoma has called for regular meetings between Christian and Islamic faithful towards national integration and growth.
Sheik Kanoma made the call on Monday in Gusau, while speaking as a guest speaker at a meeting organized by the Zamfara state chapter of the Joint Youth Islamic Organization of Nigeria.
“The calamities that are affecting us now as a society are the results of the gap we have created between us and Allah, we need to mend this and join hands with our Christian faithful to create a better understanding of the religion of Islam.
“Islam is under threat, Allah is being offended in many ways, the Holy Qur’an is being dissecreted and so there is great need for Islamic missionaries to do more in awareness creation.
“They should look inwards on whether they are doing the right thing in guiding the faithful and this can only be achieved when they follow the teachings and attributes of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), especially patience, generocity and good ways of life.
“Do not declare people of other faith as infidels but try to come together to fight terrorism, cultism and corruption to ensure a crime free country where everyone is another’s keeper,” he said.
He called on the 12 participating youth Islamic groups who are involved in Da’awa (preaching), to always adopt good approach in passing the message of Islam in all their encounters with fellow Muslims and non Muslims.
Earlier, lead convener of the meeting, Engineer Sanusi Kwatarkwashi, said the meeting was a step down to an earlier one held in Zaria, Kaduna state recently, which drew participants from Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
Kwatarkwashi, who said there had been interfaith meetings in the state, assured that it would continue “because we have always enjoyed the participation of our Christian brothers and such meetings had been very fruitful in creating religious tolerance in the state.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was chaired by Prof. Kabiru Jabaka, chairman of the state’s Zakkat and endowment board.
