The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna State yesterday
condemned comments credited to Islamic scholar Dr. Ahmad Gumi, that the
President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oristejafor and other Christian leaders
live flamboyant lives.
The Kaduna State Secretary of CAN, Rev. Sunday Ibrahim, who addressed
a press conference yesterday, said for Gumi to make Christianity as an
object of Ramadan preaching and castigating the leaders for alleged
corruption, is unacceptable.
Reacting to Gumi’s Ramadan lecture aired on state-owned Capital
Television, state secretary of CAN Reverend Sunday Ibrahim said at a
news conference that Gumi made derogatory comments on Christians.
“Sheikh Gumi, during his Tafsir, said that Christians claim that
Jesus is a son of God and that he is God and saviour, and that it is a
wrong conception. This to us is a degrading comment on our saviour,
Jesus Christ,” Ibrahim (of CAN) said.
According to the CAN scribe in the state, “he (Gumi) went further to
say that the more archbishops, bishops, pastors and general overseers,
the more iniquities in the society and he also went further to make some
degrading comments on the personality of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ”.
On the pictures of the jet and limousine car, which were said to
belong to Oristejafor and his wife, and also the objects of Gumi’s
teachings, Rev. Ibrahim queried: “How is that Gumi’s concern?”
Ibrahim added that “Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him) never fought any Christian. In fact the prophet invited the Nazran Christians for a visit in Yathrib (Medina). And when it was time for their prayers, he offered them his Mosque.
“Secondly, when the prophet was facing persecution, he sent his
followers to Abysinia, which is a Christian country for safety,
believing that with the Christians they are secured.
“Thirdly, when the prophet was about to die, he came on a white horse
to Mecca. After addressing his followers to love one another which he
Gumi is not doing, and of the non Muslims.”
-Vanguard, DailyTrust
The Delegation of Najran ChristiansSaint Arethas of Najran {Wikipedia}
No doubt the most important interaction between the Christians and the Prophet was the visit of the Najran delegation to Madina. Makka and Madina had a very small Christian population (Waraqa ibn Nawfal was one of them). The majority of Christian residents lived in Najran. The Prophet’s first important encounter with Christian clergies was in the 9th year of Hijra (AD 631), one or two years before his death.
Prophet Muhammad had been sending official letters to different countries and their rulers, inviting them to Islam. Among these were two different invitations that had been sent to Najran with Khaled ibn al-Walid and Ali ibn Abi Talib.13 At that time the Najran Christians had a highly organized religious life. Before Islam, foreign teachers had even visited the town, such as the Italian priest Gregentius, which had deepen-ed their religious knowledge.14 Few of the Najran Christians converted to Islam; the majority of them did not change their religion after these invitations. Prophet Muhammad sent a representative to them, Mughira ibn Shu’ba, who was sent to explain the invitations and the religion of Islam. After discussions with Mughira, the Christians of Najran decided to send a group of people to visit the Prophet. The delegation was made up of about 60 well-educated Christians: A bishop, his 45 scholars, and 15 men. Their intention was to learn the nature of the revelations Prophet Muhammad was receiving.15
When the Najran delegation reached Madina, they debated with the Prophet in an investigatory dialogue for two or three days in the mosque (Masjid) of Madina. Prophet Muhammad allow-ed them to pray in the mosque (Masjid al-Nabawi) where the Muslims prayed. The whole incident was the first occurrence of peaceful dialogue between Christians and Muslims; it was the first time that Christians prayed in a mosque.16
Prophet Muhammad warmly welcomed the Najran delegation and provided them with a place to stay in Madina, in a secure place close to his mosque. He even ordered that their tent be pitched for them by the Muslims. However, the Najran delegation and Prophet Muhammad were not able to reach a solution in theological terms. At the end of these exchanges, the Najran Christians told the Prophet: “O, Abu al-Qasim, we decided to leave you as you are and you leave us as we are. But send with us a man who can adjudicate things on our properties, because we accept you.” The delegation was granted their request and a written assurance was provided by the Prophet that their lives, property, and religion would be protected. He made witnesses sign this undertaking.17 The Najran Christians were the first Christian community with whom the Prophet had a jizyah 18 agreement. At the beginning of the meeting, they had disagreements with the Prophet about the concept of the Trinity, but later on they were able to make a social pact.19 This contract was an initial step that would lead to further developments. -Source
Najran Comunity, Saudi ArabiaNajran Dweller, Buildings
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