“As my Muslim brothers begin their Ramadan fast,” says Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan (a Christian) in his facebook comment yesterday, “I want to greet them and salute their efforts to develop themselves spiritually as reflected in the piousness that is required from all Muslims during this time. Please be assured that I place a high premium on this event and am in solidarity with the aims of your fast during this holy month. As you pray during this period, I will urge you to take advantage of your uplifted spiritual state to pray for the peace, progress, and prosperity of Nigeria especially as the nation is in the process of deepening her democracy and reforming government and the economy for a better delivery of services to the populace. Also, as you devote yourselves to the study of the holy Qur’an as revealed to Prophet Muhammed (SAW), I do urge all Muslims to draw inspirations from its teachings which when applied will give a greater understanding of the religion of Islam to non Muslims and help us as we continue our peaceful existence as a multi-religious country committed to mutual religious understanding and respect. Once again, I do assure you of my solidarity throughout this Holy month and into the future.”
Click here to learn wikipedia’s full definition of Ramadan, the annual 30 day period when Muslims abstain from food, drink, and sexual activity from sunrise to sunset each day. About 35-40% of Faith Alive patients in Jos are Muslim. The city sits at an invisible yet palpable fault line between northern, Islamic Africa and the southern, Christian countries. While religious tension occasionally erupts into violent massacres, at the clinic Christians and Muslims sit peacefully side-by-side waiting for hope and healing.
(Photo, courtesy of Frank Lozano, is of Faith Alive patients.)
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