From time to time, I retreat into the fond memories of my youth in Delta State. Between 1992 and 1993, I served in Asaba as a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)a predominantly Christian community. In those days, faith was practised with dignity, confidence, and mutual respect. We did not merely observe our religious obligations; we lived them openly, without fear or suspicion.

During Ramadan, we undertook Islamic propagation across rural communities. It was a season of purpose and conviction. Kabir Alabi Garbanow the Weekend Editor of The Guardian newspaperswas then the Leader of the Muslim Corpers Association of Nigeria (MCAN) in Delta State. Comrade Muhammad Haruna Ibrahim, today the National President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), was among the active members. So too was Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara, now one of Nigerias longest-serving federal lawmakers.

We moved from village to village with copies of the Holy Quran. I still recall the curiosity of villagers encountering it for the first time. Some affectionately described it as the Hausa Bible. Yet many were captivated by the poetic cadence of Yusuf Alis English translation, and some embraced Islam not out of coercion, but conviction.

One memory remains especially poignant. On Sallah day, the late Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Highness Prof. Chike Edozien, hosted a feast for Muslim corpers. He welcomed us warmly, his table adorned with delicaciesincluding exotic wines. Alcohol is forbidden in Islam, but we handled the moment with courtesy and maturity. We honoured his hospitality while observing our faith. There was no tension, no outrage, no viral commentary. In that eradevoid of smartphones and social media toxicitylife was defined by civility and coexistence. Inter-ethnic marriages among corpers were not only common; they were celebrated.

Three decades later, the atmosphere feels different. Today, a harmless opinion can provoke hostility so sharp that one can often predict the critics background merely by their name. The ethno-religious fault lines are so taut that some now openly fantasise about separationas though fragmentation will magically deliver peace. We see the tragic consequences of such divisions in parts of Kaduna and Jos, where invisible walls now separate communities that once lived as neighbours.

Yet, at this very moment, Muslims and Christians across the world are simultaneously immersed in sacred seasonsRamadan and Lent. More than three billion people are engaged in prayer, fasting, and repentance. Separated by theology, yet united by a common human longing: to draw closer to the Creator through discipline and sacrifice.

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, commemorates the revelation of the Holy Quran to Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Lent, the forty-day Christian observance preceding Easter, recalls the fasting and temptation of Jesus Christ in the wilderness.

Muslims fast daily from Suhoor (dawn) to Iftar (sunset), abstaining from food, drink, and negative conduct. Christians observe fasting, almsgiving, and abstinence, marked by Ash Wednesdaya solemn reminder of human mortality and repentance.

Ramadan cultivates TaqwaGod-consciousnessculminating in Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Power, before Eid al-Fitr. Lent calls believers to Metanoiaa transformative turning back to Godleading to Easter, the celebration of resurrection and hope.

For both traditions, hunger is not punishment; it is purification. It strips away distractions and awakens compassion for the vulnerable.

These practices are rooted in a shared prophetic heritage. Abraham fasted. Moses fasted. Jesus fasted. Muhammad fasted. The message across centuries is consistent: voluntary restraint strengthens the soul. The body becomes a bridge to the Divine.

Interfaith unity does not require theological uniformity. It requires recognition of sincerity. Ramadan and Lent are not rivals; they are companionstwo rivers flowing along different paths toward the same vast ocean of Divine Mercy.

The Quran reminds us: O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may know one another. (Quran 49:13)

And the Bible commands: Love one another as I have loved you. (John 15:12)

If we can carry the humility of fasting, the empathy born of hunger, and the discipline of prayer beyond our mosques and churches, perhaps we can rediscover the Nigeria I knew in 1992-93a country where faith built bridges rather than barriers.

Ramadan and Lent invite us back to that possibility.

Yushau A. Shuaib
Author of An Encounter with the Spymaster
yashuaib@yashuaib.com

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Iran, Saudi Leaders

Neither Sunni Nor Shiite- A Muslim Perspective
By Yushau A. Shuaib

The Nigerian government officially declared Monday, December 12, 2016 as public holiday to mark the Eid-El Maulud in commemoration of birthday of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The gesture of the government could mean different things among the Muslim community because Prophet Muhammad and his Companions never observed or celebrated his birthday even after his demise. However, some religious zealots describe the celebration as unlawful and un-Islamic while other extremists condemn those celebrating the Maulud as unbelievers.

The major challenge in the contemporary Muslim world is the different interpretations on simple modes of worship by various Islamic scholars and rulers. Such divergent elucidations breed misunderstandings, unnecessary conflicts and violent protests.

The Iraq-Iran war in the 80s, as a battle of regional supremacy between an Arab country and Persian nation, was largely a clash of ideological differences between the Sunni and Shiite. The crisis has since become global phenomena after the 9/11 attacks in United States of America.

The historic background of the Sunni–Shia divide occurred when Prophet Muhammad (SAW) died, leading to a disagreement over his successors, known as caliphs in various Islamic communities. The clash intensified after the Battle of Karbala, in which Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet and his household were killed by the ruling Umayyad Caliph Yazid. The clamour for retaliation divided the early Islamic community into Sunni, Shiite and few others.

Although all Muslims believe in divinity of the Quran, as the Holy Book from Almighty Allah, different scholars have different opinions and interpretations of Hadith which is a collection of traditions containing sayings of the Prophet and accounts of his daily practice. The Hadith constitutes the major source of guidance for Muslims apart from the Holy Quran.

All Muslims including those that referred to themselves as either Sunni or Shiite observe the five pillars of Islam which are: Faith in God Almighty; Regular Prayers; Providing charity to the needy; Fasting in the month of Ramadan and performing pilgrimage to Mecca for those that can afford.

Therefore, the Sunni-Shiite power struggles, are more political and ideological than spiritual. The conflict has so far created acrimonious and hostile relationship especially among major sponsors: Saudia Arabia, the promoter of Sunnism and Iran the backer of Shiitism. The antagonism culminates into sectarian violence through what is now known as Saudi-Iran proxy wars in some countries including Syria, Iraq, Yemen, parts of Libya among others. Unfortunately, some atrocious acts of terrorism which are wrongly attributed to Islam, the religion of peace, have direct and indirect connection to the major regional players in the conflict.

Nigeria, as a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious society has witnessed decades of peace and tranquility among various groups. Muslims in Nigeria have not only lived peacefully among themselves and with adherents of other religions. Majority of Nigerian Muslims do not allow sectarian dogmas to divide them as they pray in every mosque without questioning the sect of Imam who leads prayers.

It is rather unfortunate that in recent times, some parts of the North have witnessed the same Sunni-Shiite conflict resulting in the killing of significant members of Sheikh Ibrahim ZakZaky led Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN). One could better imagine the consequences of the officially acknowledged killing of 347 mostly Muslims in Zaria if President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Nasir El-Rufai are Non-Muslims.

As a Muslim born into a family of Islamic scholars and having the privilege of attending popular Quranic kindergarten, Arabic Secondary School and studying Islam in the university all in Kano, never have I been taught that one should be a Sunni or Shiite before practicing Islam.

The Muslims in Nigeria should use the period of Eid-Maulud public holiday to reflect on how to resolve this untoward development and caution political elites and religious leaders who use the Sunni-Shiite conflict to further create disharmony and hatred in the community. It is commendable the recent position of Borno Elders Forum who called on President Muhammadu Buhari to move quickly and resolve the Kaduna-Shia crisis in the North-West before it snowballs into another insurgency like Boko Haram in the North-East.

The level of religious intolerance and antagonism which have led to too much bloodshed in Northern Nigeria, are borne out of ignorance of noble Islamic teachings. The South-West which has more private Islamic institutions, especially universities than the entire geo-political zones in the North, also has large Muslim population who demonstrate greater understanding of Islam, especially on religious tolerance. Socio-cultural and political differences should not be associated with any religion.

Muslim community should also use the period of Moulud to advise public officers to desist from issuing provocative statements, caution religious leaders against inciting sermons and warn their social media warriors from engaging in alarming campaigns of calumny, especially over Sunni-Shiite controversy and Kaduna-Shiate crisis. Nigeria should never be a battle ground for a proxy war in West Africa.

A true Muslim must be guided by the Quran and Hadith and not by following different sects that celebrate divisions. Muslims should observe the five pillars of Islam and emulate the great qualities of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) who encourages mercy, tolerance, peaceful coexistence and forbids extremism. We should practice Islam like the early Muslims who were neither Sunni or Shiite but simply practicing Muslims.

Yushau A. Shuaib
www.YAShuaib.com
yashuaib@yahoo.com

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After the Chief Imam ended the prayer in the mosque, his deputy collected the microphone and delivered strong worded condemnation on insurgents for the killing of innocent people in the name of Islam. The deputy ended by saying “terrorists will roast in hell-fire!”

Surprisingly, the Chief Imam retrieved the microphone from his deputy and declared to the bewildered congregation: “Salam Alaikum. I am the Chief Imam of the mosque. The man who just condemned Boko Haram ‘citizens’ is the deputy Imam and his house is the one painted in white and blue behind the Emir’s palace by the right-hand corner…”

Sometimes the silence of Northerners and Muslims over monumental atrocities being committed in some parts of the North, is being viewed either as a sign of complicity or endorsement of atrocities being perpetrated by insurgents. The reality however, is that most of the victims of the attacks are actually Northerners and many are even notable traditional rulers and Islamic clerics who dared to condemn such activities just like the killing of Emir of Gwoza.
On the contrary, challenges against complacency should rather be directed at the political class who have the resources and network to address the insecurity even during its infancy. It became clearly evident that there was trouble earlier on when there was proliferation of some groups that are now challenging our corporate existence.

In a widely publicised article penned by this writer in March 2006 during President Obasanjo’s era titled “Killing in the Name of the Devil” which coincidentally was in response to an ethno-religious crisis in Maiduguri, Borno State following a controversial Danish cartoon, I pointed out that: “Probably out of fear and to sustain loyalty of followers, some leaders adopt subtle approach to comment on the mayhem instead of condemning it in the strongest possible terms. The holy scriptures have several verses that denounce those horrendous anomalies. Even our cherished cultures are rich in expressions that could be deployed at this moment of tribulation and vengeance.”

Few years later, precisely in June 2011, in an article entitled “Asari Dokubo: Another View on Boko Haram”, this writer joined the maverick Niger Delta militant, in total condemnation of the extra-judicial killing of Mohammed Yusuf, his father-in-law and a former commissioner for Water Resources in Borno, Buji Fai who were murdered in cold-blood while in police custody.

There is no doubt that leaders from the North have failed to tame excesses and recklessness of religious bigots and extremists, which have led to insecurity in the region. Rather than wake up from their slumbers and tackle the poverty, ignorance and insecurity in the region, some Northern political class and elites, deliberately cover their failures by spinning conspiracy theory that some groups and individual outside of the region are instigating the atrocities. It will be difficult for an outsider to manipulate a household whose members are disciplined and in the right frame of mind.

There are various conspiracy theories being parroted about the crises being engineered by outsiders against the North and Northerners. This is a cheap argument that someone will use northerners to fight northerners in the North where ringleaders and arrested suspects are mostly Northerners without a trace of the so-called outsiders or Southern collaborators. It is also doubtful if top Northern security officers at the national level and commanders on the battlefields will be willing tools in the plan to destroy their own region. Could the so-called Northern conspirators intend to relocate to the South after the total destruction of the North? Some conspiracy theories don’t just make sense.

As Northerners we should be wary of those playing politics with the life of our people and face the real challenges of good governance. We should realise that only very few states in Nigeria can survive without revenue from the Federal Government in the name of the Federation Account. We should question our leaders about what they have done with all the resources which are meant to address the stark backwardness of the Northern region. We should also urge them that rather than merely expecting monthly revenue from Cheap oil Money, they should diversify and invest in the productive sector that could improve the economic bases of their respective states and make our people self-reliant and independent from revenue from the central government.

Our leaders should also stop flaunting ill-gotten wealth through accumulations of mansions and ostentatious marriage ceremonies to the envy of the uneducated and poor in the society which to some extent also provoke militancy.

We should deemphasise debate on imaginary conspiracy theories by being constructive in our engagements as well as work on practical actions to tame widespread insecurity presently threatening to completely destroy our region. Our leaders should not exhibit traits that portray them as overly ambitious and selfish. We can’t continue to remain silent when this crisis is razing and may consume everyone.

As a Muslim, I believe Islamic leaders need to do more to promote and protect the faith from activities of some followers that give a contrary image to the Religion of Peace. Common sense dictates that Daawah or preaching for good conduct and morality should start within by advocating religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence so that our great nation will not disintegrate by 2015.

Yushau A. Shuaib

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