The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has felicitated with Christians across the country on the occasion of the celebration of this year’s Christmas.
This is contained in a letter address to the President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Samson Olasupo Ayokunle.
The letter signed by the Deputy Secretary-General of the council, Prof. Salisu Shehu, said the NSCIA is felicitating with “our Christian compatriots on the occasion of 2018 Christmas.”
“As you celebrate this important milestone of high spiritual import, the Muslim community wishes you God’s guidance and abundant blessings embedded in the festive season,” Shehu said.
According to him, the occasion of the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ provides Nigerians another opportunity of thank God for His blessings to the nation and to renew prayers for the restoration of peace and security to all parts of the country.
“As you pray and celebrate, we join you in prayers as we beseech the Almighty God to make Nigeria overcome her current challenges and grant us peaceful, successful, fair and credible elections in the coming months.
“Prophet ‘Isa or Jesus is one of the top-ranking Prophets of God that all Muslims venerate. In fact, the Qur’an mentions his name more than 25 times (Q. 2:87; 2:136; 2:253; 3:45; 3:52; 3:55; 3:59; 3:84; 4:157; 4:163; 4:171….).
“Though his personality or divinity may be viewed differently by the teeming adherents of Christianity and Islam, the fact remains that in Jesus Christ, all of us, Christians and Muslims alike have a role model, an exemplar and a symbol of our commonality as a people of faith.
“As millions of Christians in our country mark the birth of Jesus, we pray that the occasion engenders a new beginning of faithfulness, sincerity, righteousness, love, forgiveness and other virtues that he represents in our country. We indeed urge all Nigerians to emulate him and other true Prophets of God,” he said.
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