By Mohammed Baba Busu
Alhaji Yahya Abubakar, the Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, has called on Muslims to use the occasion of the Eid-el-Maulud to reflect on the virtues of love, tolerance and compassion as exemplified by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Etsu Nupe made the call on Monday at his Wadata Palace, Bida, during the Maulud celebration marking the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Alhaji Abubakar appealed to Muslim faithful in the country to always emulate Prophet Muhammad’s shining virtues of compassion, tolerance and commitment to peace for a better future of the country.
He said that Prophet of Islam was famous for his respect for life, tolerance and avoiding violence against the innocent.
The monarch encouraged Muslim clerics to preach love and what the Prophet lived for and that the Maulud celebration should be an occasion for sober reflection and a reminder that Muslims should be good ambassadors of Islam.
He said, “I want to admonish that we imbibe the spirit of love, patience and perseverance which are the virtues of the Holy Prophet
” By doing so, we would be ensuring peace, security and development of our country.
He said it was not just enough to be a Muslim, “but you must also have the fear of Allah and behave in the most acceptable manner to your fellow human beings”.
“Let us revive the teachings of the prophet by preaching peace wherever we find ourselves,” he said.
He said Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) preached peace, love and unity “and as true followers of Islam, we should emulate the same thing so that we can enjoy blessings of God Almighty here and in the hereafter”.
Abubakar urged Nigerians to continue to be tolerant and live in peace with one another, irrespective of religious, cultural and ethnic differences.
He said sustained prayers would enable the nation to overcome the devilish acts threatening its peaceful coexistence.
Etsu Nupe urged the Muslim faithful to learn how to forgive, stressing that “Allah Himself forgives”.
He called on Muslims to be prayerful, saying that prayer was key to overcoming any situation in which they found themselves.
The royal father urged Muslims to shun acts capable of tarnishing the image of Islam
The traditional ruler also urged that clerics should use the occasion to pray for the success of 2023 general elections.
