By Ibrahim HassanWuyo
The National Chairman of Jama’atul Izalatul Bid’ah wa Iqamatul Sunnah(JIBWIS), Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau has emphasized the need for peaceful coexistence, saying that without peace people can not even practice their religion.
Sheikh Bala Lau who made this known while addressing news men, after paying courtesy call on Governor Nasir El Rufai on Saturday, said that ‘’we are here to commiserate with the governor and people of Kaduna state, for what happened between the communities of the state’’
The Izala national leader pointed out that they came ‘’ to support the peaceful coexistence of our people in Kaduna state. Without peace and harmony, you cannot even practise your religion.’’
‘’Religious leaders have a great role, have value to add, for the peaceful coexistence in Nigeria. That is why the governor said that he had earlier received CAN leaders and His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto,’’ he added.
The sheikh also argued that ‘’ Allah created us from male and female, from Adam and Eve, for us to know each other, not to fight each other. The noblest of you in the sight of Allah is he who fears Allah most. ‘’
According to Sheikh Bala Lau, his entourage came ‘’ to support the lasting solution of peace in Kaduna state. Inshaa Allahu, we have so many things to add value to the peaceful coexistence in Kaduna state. ‘’
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The cleric promised to offer fervent prayers for the intervention of Allah(SWT), adding that ‘’ with prayers, inshaa Allah, we will achieve our goal.’’
The sheikh said that true Muslims are being guided by the Holy Qur’an in whatever they do, adding that ‘’whosoever wants to preach , he has to preach according to the Quran and Sunnah. If you are following the teaching of the Qur’an and Sunnah, you cannot preach anywhere and anyhow.
Sheikh Bala Lau admonished preachers to preach with wisdom.
In his contribution, Governor El Rufai said that the Izala leaders essentially came to be briefed about the security situation in Kaduna state and that ‘’they received briefings from the Commissioner of Internal Security as well as the Deputy Governor.’’
‘’ We also solicited for their support and prayers to see the end of this crisis because we are of the strong view that at the bottom of this crisis is the reckless statements of some religious leaders. If religious leaders decide firmly that people should live in peace and preach that consistently, it will lead to peaceful coexistence in our state,’’ he said.
The governor also said that ‘’root of the crisis in southern Kaduna lies in differences in religion and ethnicity. And religious leaders can play a very unifying or divisive role. What we have witnessed in the last few years is that they have been paying a more divisive than a unifying role.
‘’That is why we welcome the outreach by religious leaders and we presented with all the facts, for them to use the holy books to guide how they will preach to the congregation,’’ he said.
