Muslims in Osun State have marked the beginning of the new year of Islamic calendar staring with Muharram 1st, 1444, with the State Government declaring Friday as public holiday for Hijirah celebration.
Muslims converged in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, on Saturday to mark the beginning of the new year.
The State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, while speaking at the grand finale of Hijirah 1444 celebration, charged Muslims to imbibe the lessons of Hijirah and continue to promote peace.
The event was organised by Osun State Muslim Community.
Muslim dignitaries, Islamic organisations and school children celebrated and attended the event.
Represented by his Commissioner for Special Duties, Olalekan Badmus, the Governor urged Nigerians to continue to live in peace and harmony and shun divisive tendencies.
Oyetola said: “I charge you to rededicate yourselves to the peace, unity, progress and security of Osun and Nigeria at large.
“Maintain peaceful coexistence among the people of various faith and peace must not be compromised.
“Islam means peace.
“Any Muslim that promotes violence and hate doesn’t preach Islamic ethics.
“Continue to offer prayers for the peace of Osun and Nigeria.
“Let’s reflect on the significance of the celebration and abandon your bad habits and rededicate yourselves to the service of Allah.”
The President of the Osun State Muslim Community, Alhaji Mustafa Olawuyi, urged Muslims to pay more attention to Hijirah calendar because of its importance to Islam.
Olawuyi said: “It’s 1444 years after Hijirah by Holy Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him.
“Muslims all over the world mark the first of Muharram signalling the beginning of another year in the Islamic calendar.
“The programme is mainly to sensitise the ummah on the importance of Hijrah Calendar.
“The Gregorian calendar that is popular in this part of the world does not cater for spiritual needs of the Muslims since we don’t rely on it to begin and end Ramadan fast, performance of hajj, fasting the three days in the middle of the month, etc, but it is the Hijra Calendar that takes care of all these spiritual commitments.
“These lessons of Hijrah is to continue doing our duties to our Creator and Sustainer, the
Almighty Allah and keep good relations with His creatures.
“If we do these the whole world will be peaceful and be an abode of joy for all inhabitants.”
An Associate Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Abdul-Fatai Makinde, in his lecture, titled: “Islam And Politics In A Multi Religious Setting,” urged political office holders to be just in the distribution of national resources regardless of religious sentiment.
According to Makinde “To all our politicians, especially our Muslim brothers and sisters, I want you all to see yourselves as God’s representatives in your various political offices and follow tenets of Allah.
“Always remember you will render stewardship before God even if you don’t feel accountable to the people.”
The President of the Federation of Muslim Women’s Association of Nigeria, Osun State Chapter, Alhaja Sadiat Oladapo, urged women to continue to pray for peace in Nigeria.
The Vice President of OSMC, Alhaji Abdul-Lateef Olayanju, charged Muslims to familiarise themselves with Hijirah calendar.
Olayanju said: “Muslims depend on the Islamic calendar for their major religious activities including Ramadan fasting, pilgrimage to Mecca for Hajj, Eid celebrations among others.”
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