By; Bala B. Bitrus, Minna.
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II has said that Muslim clerics who preach hatred and use their positions to launch attacks on non-muslims are doing great disservice to the religion of Islam.
He said the holy sanctuary of a worship centre as a Mosque should be used to preach peace, love and harmony amongst Nigerians rather than promote animosity, hatred and vilifications.
Sanusi gave the charge in his sermon on Friday during the first Juma’at sermon at the newly constructed Mosque at the Federal University of Technology, (FUT), Minna, Niger State. Sanusi had earlier commissioned the beautiful edifice as a special guest of honour at the occasion.
Sanusi, a mercurial and thoroughbred public speaker, led the first Friday prayers at the new Mosque after inaugurating it. The commissioning of the Mosque was part of the activities lined up to mark the 26th convocation and the 34th Founders’ Day of the institution.
He challenged Muslim clerics and adherents of the Islamic faith in general to propagate the true virtues of Islam as a religion of peace and avoid doing or saying anything that could portray the religion of Islam in negative lights.
He lamented that over time, some alien ideologies and posturings have been introduced by certain mullahs to the religion of Islam especially people who often hide under the sanctity and immunity within the Holy temples of worship to preach hatred and set sections of the society against the other.
He warned that doing so is against the tenets of Islam and brings grave consequences on the image of Islam as it creates and portrays its followers as lovers of violence and terror.Sanusi, a quintessential public speaker and international awards winning banker turned traditional ruler, argued that Islam as a complete way of life, is a religion of peace but wondered why many Muslim clerics often deviates from this and mislead their adherents.
As an Islamic scholar himself, Dr. Sanusi said adherents should work towards promoting peaceful coexistence between muslims and adherents of other religions even as he urged Muslims faithfuls to unite and forge a common front for the propagation of Islam in Nigeria and beyond.He pointed out that the only way to ensure peaceful coexistence in Nigeria was to promote peace through sermons and messages preached in Churches and Mosques by clerics of the two major religions in Nigeria. He warned however that anything short of this was setting the country on the part of destruction.
He commended the authorities and students of the Federal University of Technology, Minna for constructing the beautiful edifice as a place of worship and noted that Allah would always reward those who contributes or participates in the building of a place to worship for Him.Emir Sanusi was accompanied to the commissioning of the Mosque by other traditional rulers from within and outside Niger state led by the host, the Emir of Minna, Dr. Umar Farouq Bahago and a front line islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmed Lemu.High points of the week long activities lined up for the convocation and Founder’s Day anniversary will come up next Wednesday when the institution convocates some 3,734 graduands with some of them receiving First Degrees, Postgraduate Degrees and Diplomas.
Thirty four (34) of them bagged First Class while thirty five others will receive Doctorate Degrees. The Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Abubakar Yahaya would also be conferred with a Honorary Degree by the institution at the occasion.
