In this season of celebration, one has to reflect on the days of peaceful coexistence, tolerance and harmony. In the late 1980s, precisely during my primary school days, on Christmas day like this, my grandfather would have received many requests from our Christian neighbours to come and slaughter their cows, goats and chickens. They entrusted him with this mandate without minding that he was an Islamic scholar. We grew up seeing ourselves as one people worshipping the same God but in different faiths.
We reflected the basic teachings of religion on neighbourhood and brotherhood. We implored the best moral practice of mutual respect and understanding. We didn’t talk about peace because there was no absence of it.
Going down memory lane has helped me to understand that kindness to neighbours is a common point that all religions share.
Becca Ehrlich, also known as the Christian Minimalist, is a pastor at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Philadelphia, USA. In her excellent sermon, she elaborated the most important item that drew my attention. She talked deeply about neighbours and how Jesus Christ treats his neighbours and how he teaches his disciples on love for neighbours.
The love of God and the love for neighbours are two undetachable bonds in Islam. It is the fundamental posture that holds together.
The situation we found ourselves today is as a result of dishonouring our neighbours.
In Islam, being a good neighbour and realising the duty to our neighbours doesn’t just mean being friendly to the homeowners next door. It means to help take care of the community, irrespective of faith or tribe of the inhabitants.
Prophet Muhammad (AS) also teaches his disciples and the entire Ummah the best of kindness to neighbours.
As Muslims, our immediate neighbours in faith are the Christians, and the holy Qur’an made us grasp the quality of Christians in our faith, apart from being our neighbours.
The right of our neighbours must be given to them in accordance with religious injunctions. The teaching of Jesus Christ was apparently practised by our Christians neighbours in those days. The teaching of Islam was also obvious.
It is fact that we have let the basic principle go. We have become more religious in word than in practice.
Our peaceful coexistence lies in our ability to adopt generosity, and it must start with our immediate neighbours if we really want to attain spiritual well-being.
Compliments of the season. Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Abu Maigoro wrote from Jos, Plateau State.
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