Maulud Kareem

Today is Eid el-Maulud, the birthday of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. The day is marked every 12th of Rabi’ul Awwal of the Islamic calendar. Expectedly, the Federal Government has declared the day as a public holiday to mark the occasion and has called on Muslims and other Nigerians to pray for peace, progress and unity of the nation.

Eid el-Maulud is generally not a time for merry making but a period for sober reflection and devotion. Muslims are therefore enjoined to use the occasion to ponder deeply on the myriad of challenges confronting our nation; to retrace their steps, renew their faith in God and imbibe the true meaning of piety, sacrifice, patience and fellowship.

Muslims and indeed the citizenry, irrespective of faith or creed should use the occasion to settle differences and shun negative acts that have continued to threaten our existence and unity as a nation.

One of the fitting things for the Muslim Ummah and indeed, all Nigerians to do at a time like this is to pray and act in ways that will help  end the numerous challenges bedeviling the nation.

Nigeria is increasingly being burdened by the nefarious activities of terrorists, kidnappers and other criminals at a time the citizens are grappling with high cost of living.

This Maulud, therefore, provides the right moment to seek the face of Allah and ask for his mercy in these trying times.

Also, leaders at all levels of society must rise and live up to their responsibilities of building a just, fair and equitable society.  Above all, the greater responsibility for ensuring peace, development and progress rests with the governments at all levels.

The teachings of Islam are centred on belief in one God, devotion and service to humanity. Quran 2:177 spells out the fundamental concept thus: ‘‘The belief in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the revealed Books and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Allah, for the kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the freeing of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity, to fulfil the contracts made; and to be firm and patient, in pain and adversity.’’

Elsewhere the Quran emphasizes on one’s duty to parents, regardless of their faith and duties to neighbours, relatives, sick people, the old, and the minority groups and to promote what is good, and prevent what is wrong. No individual’s honour should be injured, and neither should a person be harmed. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is reported as saying, “A man is not a believer who fills his stomach while his neighbour is hungry.” All these virtues are exemplified by the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. In a nutshell he lived the message. The Islamic society he built was acclaimed for its justice and equity such that there was nothing comparable to it throughout the ages. It was said that at its peak a woman could carry a load of gold on her head and travel from Madina to Makkah, a distance of 300 miles plus, without being harassed.

This is the messenger of God who is being remembered today. But it is heart rending to note that all the virtues that this great Prophet epitomised are in great deficit in today’s Nigeria. Today the country is ravaged by terror and general insecurity. Corruption is rampant, promoted by the greed and dishonesty of the elite. The followership is disillusioned and angered by the lack of progress and development. Patriotism is, therefore, less of a priority to them as they trudge on to eke out a living by all means fair or foul. Not only in Nigeria, but the great virtues that the Holy Prophet epitomised are scarce across the world as well, where some live-in opulence while others lack food and shelter, and where powerful nations lord it over poorer ones through unfair trade practices and Shylock loans.

Indeed, the greatest lessons of life can be found in the two great religions-Islam and Christianity, where the virtues of Godliness are extolled. Both religions teach mankind to embrace peace and dialogue, rather than war, they teach understanding, patience and sacrifice and above all the brotherhood of man, which means that all God’s creatures emanate from one single source.

As we celebrate with the Muslim Ummah we wish them happy Eid el-Maulud.