As Muslims across the globe observe Eid -el-kabir Sallah celebrations, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) prevailed on the need for the religious faithful to leave in peace and harmony for overall development.
Felicitating with Muslims, Bishop Catholic Diocese of Yola and Chairman CAN Adamawa State was emphatic that religion teaches tenets of peace, tolerance and mutual respect, as according to him, ” no meaningful development could be achieved in rancour or suspicious atmosphere, so we need to respect religion difference.”
“To you my brothers and sisters of the Muslim faith, I bring the greetings of peace, love and congratulations as you mark this year’s Festival of Sacrifice, the Eid-ul-Adha, which symbolizes your faith and fidelity to God and also a sign of sacrifice and humility.
“This celebration is coming at a time when our world is ravaged rather dramatically by the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus,” he said.
He further stated that there was no gainsaying the pandemic has greatly affected lives and communities, “thereby making religion not to be practiced in a conventional way.
“Consequently, we see many in danger of hopelessness, others in danger of defeats while others taking to violence and extreme measures as if those were the solutions. What this suggests is that there is no time in our history that calls for a renewed and continual fidelity in humble submission to the will of God than this period of the COVID-19.
“With a deep sense of respect and fraternity, therefore, I wish to encourage us, as Muslims and Christians, to continue to strive in order to understand and put into practice what God wills for us as revealed in our Sacred Scriptures.
“The easiest and surest way to overcoming this challenge is through our human solidarity and faith in God.
“I hereby share in the sentiments offered by Pope Francis during his visit to the Arab Emirate in February last year, 2019, when he said, “Faith leads a believer to see in the other a brother or sister to be supported and loved. Through faith in God, who has created the universe, creatures and all human beings (equal on account of his mercy), believers are called to express this human fraternity by safeguarding creation and the entire universe and supporting all persons, especially the poorest and those most in need.”
“Despite the challenge of the coronavirus, I believe it is human solidarity that will in the long run help us in this time of great uncertainty.
“Once again, I send my friendly best wishes to you all and your loved ones during this great period of sacrifice and humility. Eid Mubarak!”
Our correspondent reports as part of efforts to stem the spread of the Coronavirus, in most towns the two raka’at of the eid-el adha unit supererogatory prayers were observed at Friday mosques instead of the usual praying grounds.
Similarly, the festivities are being observed amid economic crunch with livestock sellers lamenting over low patronage.
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