Anwar Islam admonishes Muslims to embrace unity, prays for Nigeria

Anwar-ul-Islam Movement of Nigeria has stressed the need to bridge the gap of disunity among Muslims, as this will put an end to doctrinal disagreements and bring unity to the Muslim community.

Speaking during the group’s yearly Ramadan lecture and prayer for the nation, themed, ‘Imperative for peace, unity and progress in contemporary Muslim organisation in Nigeria’, the President of the movement, Alhaji Bashir Ojelade, lamented the ugly incident in Kaduna, where a train from Abuja was attacked and called a special prayer for the country and victims of the deadly attack. “ The country is in a state of helplessness. We should all pray for Nigeria, the attack is becoming rampant. I have boarded the train twice before the hijack.”

The Chairman of the event, Alhaji Surajudeen Adedeji Lawal, commended the effort of the organisation for continuity and creating a platform where issues pertaining to Islam can be discussed. “May Allah continue to strengthen you and grow to achieve greatness.”

He added that the theme of the event was apt and timely due to examining the causes of socio-religious conflicts among Nigerian Muslims.

“I am happy that we all began this year’s Ramadan fasting on the same day. If you could remember, such does not happen. I pray the unity will continue to strengthen us.”

The guest lecturer, Imam, University of Lagos Muslim Community, Prof. Ismail Musa, while delivering a lecture on the theme, said that the present situations of Nigerian Muslims call for discourse due to disparities among Muslim groups.

“There is no better way of laying foundation than using the Holy Quran to lay foundation. We Muslims are just one single community, we may have been divided into several groups but we remain one as enjoined by Allah,” he said.

He added that Muslims of the nation were united without any discrimination until shortly after the death of the Prophet (SAW) in the year 657.

“Al-khawarij were the first group to break out from the main group, followed by the caliphate from 661 to 1924 CE. About 1292 years was the existence of the caliphate and the seat of the caliphate moved from one city to another. From Medina to Damasscus, Kufah, Baghdad, Samarra, Cairo, Istabul and others. In 1924 the caliphate was abolished and since that time, the Muslims did not have a single leader.

“Between 661 and 1924, so many religious groups originated such as Qadrites, mu’tazilites, ash’arites, Shites, murjites, jabrites, sufi, ahmadiyya and others.”

He noted that in Nigeria, religious organisations were established as an avenue to propagate and educate people about Islam.

“The early organisations are Jamaatu Nasril Islam (JNI), Ansaruddeen Society of Nigeria, me? Ahmadiya Muslim Community of Nigeria was the first properly organised Islamic institution in Nigeria in 1914. Before its advent, there were only small prayer groups with lost memberships and lopsided administrative set-ups,” he said.

He said that there is a dire need to curb the incessant disunity among Nigerian Muslims by the mechanism proffer by Islam, as this will pave way for peace. “Allah recognises us as one from the day He raise the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) till the day of accountability, Muslims are going to be one. Some don’t pray together due to slight differences. The way Allah enjoined us to pray is the same, we read the same Holy Quran, and our greeting is the same. If anybody worships or prays contrary to what Allah ordains, it is an innovation.”