By Daniel Tyokua
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has directed all Nigerian Imams to dedicate their sermons of the coming Friday, October 23, to pray for the ongoing crisis ignited by #EndSARS protests in the country,
In a statement on Wednesday, issued by Alhaji Femi Abbas, chairman of NSCIA media committee, said the prayer will bring peace across the country.
The monarch strongly emphasised the fact that only a peaceful environment backed up by fervent prayer could propel hope and harmony for the citizens of any country in which God was believed to be in control.
He particularly praised the Imams of the various Mosques in all parts of Nigeria, for not transgressing in their Friday sermons during the crisis, either by maligning any group or individual personalities or by instigating any particular tribe or religious adherents against another, directly or indirectly.
“As a matter of serious concern and urgent expectation of tranquility in Nigeria, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), has declared the coming Friday, October 23, 2020, as a day of special prayer for the nation.
” Such a special prayer, according to him, should not be limited to Nigerian Muslims living in Nigeria alone.
” Other Nigerian Muslims who are residing abroad should also join their brothers and sisters at home in this crucial prayer since Nigeria is for all Nigerians irrespective of their places of residence.”
He commended the Nigerian Muslims generally for handling the ongoing ‘ENDSARS’ mass protests with moderation, according to Islamic norm and as expected of them as Muslims.
He implored Muslims to further ensure that they do not get distracted from the scope of Islamic guidance concerning conflict and resolution at any time.
He emphasised the need for the Imams to calm down the strained nerves with their clement preaching for peace as well as their verbal ventilation of the national atmosphere for permanent tranquility to the benefit of all and sundry.
Abubakar also implored all Nigerian Muslim congregations to heartily join their Imams in offering a special prayer, on Friday, for the stability of Nigeria in the present time as well as in future.
The monarch noted that for any people who believed fervently in Allah, there could never be a crisis that was irresolvable with prayer.
He beseeched Allah never to allow the bountiful blessings with which He (Allah) gloriously endows the country to end up in a regrettable history.
The Sultan appealed to the government to sincerely consider a quick implementation of the demands of the protesting youths to which it had graciously agreed.
The Islamic leader also counseled the protesters to allow the government to act positively on those demands in the overall interest of peace and tranquility of the country.
He cautioned Nigerian Muslim youths against joining any evil gang of violence into which some disgruntled Nigerian adults, with hidden agenda, may cunningly lure them with a bait that could lead them to irreversible contrition.
He counseled those youths to be wary of any sugar-coated utterances that may eventually turn their hope into forlorn and jeopardize their future at a time when the deceptive elements will not be available for rescue.
