Xmas: Kaduna Christians, Muslims worship together

In an effort to maintain and sustain peaceful co-existence irrespective of religious and ethnic differences, Christians and Muslims in Kaduna yesterday seized the opportunity of Christmas celebration to worship together in a church.

Pastor Yohanna Buru, Head of Christ Evangelical Church, invited members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Kaduna zone, to celebrate the Christmas with members of his church.
Responding on behalf of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Dr. Shu’aibu Musa extended a goodwill message from the Leader of the movement, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky to the Christian faithful at Christmas, and called for more collaboration to rid the society of religious extremism.
Both Muslims and Christians, he said, were equally oppressed and therefore had a common enemy. He called for closer ties to salvage the society.
However, in his sermon, Pastor Buru said: “Every man and every society expect a saviour at the end of time. Both Muslims and Christians have always been waiting for saviours in the names of Imam Mahdi (AF) and Jesus Christ respectively.
The Christian cleric also pointed out that there was no dispute between Christian and Islamic books on the re-appearance of their two great men at the end of time.
He added: “Until their imminent re-emergence, no politician can salvage this society from its predicament. This is why we celebrate Christmas, we rejoice in anticipation of saviours of the society,” reading from Luke 2: 1-7 to buttress his point, he lamented the senseless killing of innocent people on the basis of religion, saying in reality, people were from the same root and lineage.
He urged Muslims and Christians to reconcile and forgive one another before the re-emergence of the awaited saviours. “If we don’t reconcile now, I live to see how we can be salvaged by Imam Mahdi and Jesus Christ. Though, I am sure Imam Mahdi and Jesus Christ will reconcile us, it is better that we do it now. They are the melting point, so let us please live in peace with one another.”
The presence of Muslims in his church on Christmas Day, he said, should not be out of place, explaining that it was to celebrate and anticipate the re-emergence of the awaited saviours both religions professed. “We call you here not as guests, but as brothers and neighbours,” he stated.
Highlights of the occasion were special song by Malam Rabi’u Tudun Iya on peaceful co-existence, songs of praise and feast.