Interfaith Prayer (Christian/Muslim)

INTERFAITH PRAYER: (MUSLIM/CHRISTIAN)

O God, you are the Creator and Source of life.

Praised be your name forever.

We the people of Plateau State strongly affirm the sanctity and sacredness of the life, which you have given us.

O   Lord, do   not  impose   blame   upon  us   if   we  have   erred   or  sinned, the consequence which led to destruction of lives and property.

The beautiful and fertile land of Plateau, the land of peace and tourism, and a miniature Nigeria has suffered violence.

Hatred and selfishness have injured our common humanity.

Lord our Creator, we beg for forgiveness for our sin against you.

We know it is You who turn our minds to thoughts of peace.

Hear our prayers and keep us safe.

Help us to speak and relate to one another with love and kindness, and to join hands in friendship.

Strengthen   our   collective  resolve   as   Plateau  citizens   to   forgive  one another, and   give witness   to  the truth   of   our common humanity and bond.

Give us O Merciful Lord;

Understanding that puts an end to strife;

Mercy that quenches the fire of hatred and,

Forgiveness that overcomes the hunger of vengeance:

Help our land. 

Heal our people and heal our souls.

Amen!

...............................

Jointly composed by Christians and Muslims and used for the first time at the Interfaith Prayer Summit @ the Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace (DREP) Centre, Jos, 

©30th August 2018

DREP Hosts First Plateau Interfaith Prayer Summit

Christians and Muslims in Plateau State came together to pray for peace and unity in Plateau State and Nigeria as a whole as the first Interfaith Prayer Summit was organised in Jos by Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace (DREP) Centre, on Thursday 30^thAugust 2018.

The Prayer Summit had in attendance representatives of the Plateau State Government led by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Sonny Tyoden, the Catholic Archbishop of Jos and his Anglican counterpart, the Emir of Wase, the Deputy Chief Imam of Jos, State Chairmen of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Jama’atu Nasir Islam (JNI), Security Chiefs on the Plateau, Paramount Rulers, Youth Leaders, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and members of the general public

Speaking at the opening of the Summit, Archbishop Ignatius A. Kaigama noted said: “We are here at the Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace (DREP) Centre, Jos, for an interfaith prayer session involving Muslims and Christians; to lift up our hands in supplication to God Almighty and Creator for greater peace and harmonious coexistence among all the people of Plateau State and indeed Nigeria. This event as far as I can recall is the first in recent times, namely, that Christians and Muslims are coming together to jointly ask for God’s blessings as well as His forgiveness for the social, political, ethnic and religious conflicts witnessed in our state.”

“We are all agreed that the sanctity of human life has been violated by the killings witnessed at different times and in different places in our peaceful Plateau state. Lives have been lost, homes destroyed, means of livelihood ravished and internally displaced people found in camps or on the street. The greatest casualty is our, mutual trust. Due to lack of genuine trust between some ethnic communities as well as between Christians and Muslims in the state, settlement has been polarized; suspicion heightened and appears to dominate our interpersonal relationship.”

“We need healing of our self-inflicted wound, and we need God to help us out of this predicament since we have realized that guns, cutlasses, bows and arrows, spears, charms, etc. cannot bring peace. Government, no matter its good intentions cannot decree peace or harmonious coexistence. The security agents no matter how they flood the streets or bushes armed with sophisticated weapons cannot bring about peace until we all decide freely from the depths if our hearts that we truly want to live together in peace as brothers and sisters created by God.”

He called on Christians, Muslims and other faith/spiritual expressions to avoid offending one another and stop competing for supremacy so as to construct the much-needed peace which will naturally be followed by progress.

In his remark, the Deputy Governor of Plateau State Prof. Sonni Tyoden urged all to be peace vendors as peace on the Plateau depends on us all. He said, “not until we decide to live freely together, peace will continue to elude us.”

Goodwill messages were also received from the State CAN Chairman, Rev. Soja Bewarang, the Emir of Wase, Dr. Muhammed Sambo Haruna, the Special Task Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Agundu, the Police Commissioner and other traditional and religious leaders present.

The summit also featured individual prayers led by Christian and Muslim clerics as well as drama and dance presentations from selected youths and school children.

The agreed and collective prayer composed and said by all present at the summit and the opening speech of Archbishop Kaigama reads as follows:

INTERFAITH PRAYER: (MUSLIM/CHRISTIAN)

O God, you are the Creator and Source of life.

Praised be your name forever.

We the people of Plateau State strongly affirm the sanctity and sacredness of the life, which you have given us.

O   Lord, do   not  impose   blame   upon  us   if   we  have   erred   or   sinned, the consequence which led to destruction of lives and property.

The beautiful and fertile land of Plateau, the land of peace and tourism, and a miniature Nigeria has suffered violence.

Hatred and selfishness have injured our common humanity.

Lord our Creator, we beg for forgiveness for our sin against you.

We know it is You who turn our minds to thoughts of peace.

Hear our prayers and keep us safe.

Help us to speak and relate to one another with love and kindness, and to join hands in friendship.

Strengthen   our   collective  resolve   as   Plateau  citizens   to   forgive  one another, and   give witness   to  the truth   of   our common humanity and bond.

Give us O Merciful Lord;

Understanding that puts an end to strife;

Mercy that quenches the fire of hatred and,

Forgiveness that overcomes the hunger of vengeance:

Help our land. 

Heal our people and heal our souls.

Amen!

...............................

Jointly composed by Christians and Muslims and used for the first time at the Interfaith prayer meeting in the Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace (DREP) Centre, Jos, 

©30th August 2018

INTERFAITH (MUSLIM/CHRISTIAN) PRAYER SESSION AT THE DIALOGUE, RECONCILIATION AND PEACE (DREP) CENTRE, JOS, 30^THAUGUST 2018 

OPENING REMARKS BY ARCHBISHOP IGNATIUS KAIGAMA.

Instead of the usual long and formal protocol, please permit me to simply address you as brothers and sisters.

We are here at the Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace (DREP) Centre, Jos, for an interfaith prayer session involving Muslims and Christians; to lift up our hands in supplication to God Almighty and Creator for greater peace and harmonious coexistence among all the people of Plateau State and indeed Nigeria. This event as far as I can recall is the first in recent times, namely, that Christians and Muslims are coming together to jointly ask for God’s blessings as well as His forgiveness for the social , political, ethnic and religious conflicts witnessed in our state.

We are all agreed that the sanctity of human life has been violated by the killing s witnessed at different times and in different places in our peaceful Plateau state. Lives have been lost, homes destroyed, means of livelihood ravished and internally displaced people found in camps or on the street. The greatest casualty is our, mutual trust. Due to lack of genuine trust between some ethnic communities as well as between Christians and Muslims in the state, settlement has been polarized, suspicion heightened and appears to dominate our interpersonal relationship. We need healing of our self-inflicted wound, and we need God to help us out of this predicament since we have realized that guns, cutlasses, bows and arrows, spears, charms, etc. cannot bring peace. Government, no matter its good intentions cannot decree peace or harmonious coexistence. The security agents no matter how they flood the streets or bushes armed with sophisticated weapons cannot bring about peace until we all decide freely from the depths if our hearts that we truly want to live together in peace as brothers and sisters created by God. 

Even if we have different cultural values and religious modes of worship, we are still united by common humanity with God as its source. This is the message we must pass on in our families, schools and places of worship from generation to generation. 

As communicated in the letter of invitation, the Dialogue, Reconciliation, and Peace Centre, has been engaging the community/religious leaders and the different stakeholders in the affected communities in Plateau State.  During the last dialogue session of 5^thJune 2018, the stakeholders agreed on the need for us to jointly seek divine intervention and so, an interfaith prayer session was agreed upon. I am happy that the day has come and we have turned out in good numbers.

 This prayer gathering is to seek divine help in rebuilding the broken relationships and to promote reconciliation between communities affected by violence. 

Today is no time for long speeches. It is a sober moment to bow our heads in fervent prayer and to confess that we have sinned before God and offended ourselves and planted the seeds of impatience, intolerance, distrust, disrespect, murder, etc. in our children and youths which we must uproot and replace with virtues of love, trust, peace, mercy, justice, respect for the sanctity of life, etc. we cannot achieve this on our own, hence, our gathering here together to plead for God’s mercy and forgiveness.

It is important to know that a short prayer has been jointly composed and endorsed by some Christian and Muslim leaders to be prayed jointly by all of us in the same manner we recite the national pledge or sing the national anthem, which we always do as one people irrespective of our cultural or religious differences. 

I believe that it is by coming together more often, discussing, reflecting and praying together, visiting each other’s home and place of worship that religious misunderstanding and tension will substantially be reduced.

In the attempt to compose this prayer, it became for instance clearer that while we Christians call God father, Muslims are not allowed to call God father. In Islam we are servants of God and not children of God as Christians say and for Muslims we can sin against God only, but we offend one another. 

The point I am making here is that if we Christians and Muslims understand ourselves better by closer interaction and collaboration, we avoid offending one another or competing for supremacy, and so we will be able to construct the much needed peace, and progress in every sense will be natural consequence.

May God hear our prayer for Plateau State and indeed Nigeria today and always. May He help us too to expose criminals among us even if they belong to our ethnic or religious groups because the activities have contributed in no small measure to the tension and conflict that are sometimes tagged religious.

It is our hope that Christians and Muslims will always genuinely unite to fight social vices and use the values of our respective religion to promote integral development in our state and our nation. The recent heroic example of Imam Abdullahi Yalwa in the Barkin Ladi area who at the risk of his life saved many Christians and Muslims in his mosque from being killed by attackers is a very good example of enlightened and God fearing behavior and a model of genuine Muslim/Christian collaboration.

Help us God with your peace and may we witness no more the destruction to lives and property in our dear Plateau State. 

Amen. 

https://uri.org/uri-story/20180731-interfaith-dialogue-follows-nigeria-massacre

SPECIAL DIALOGUE OF ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS ON THE RECENT CRISIS SITUATION IN PARTS OF PLATEAU STATE AT THE DIALOGUE RECONCILIATION AND PEACE (DREP) CENTRE

It was a day of reflection, brainstorming and heart to heart sharing at the Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace (DREP) Centre on the 26^thof July 2018 Religious and Community leaders as well as other key stakeholders met to discuss and proffer solutions to the recent massacre of innocent Plateau citizens. 

The meeting had in attendance Catholic Bishops from Jos, Pankshin and Shendam, Bishops from the Anglican Communion, Presbyterian Church, and other denominations as well as their Muslim Counterparts including the Emirs of Wase and Kanam, Leadership of the Jama’atu Nasir Islam and other prominent leaders of various Islamic groups within Islam. Others are community leaders from different ethnic groups including the Fulani, Irigwe, Birom and other ethnic nationalities on the Plateau. 

Speaking at the opening of the meeting, Catholic Archbishop of Jos, Most Rev. Dr. Ignatius Kaigama stated that the main aim of convening this “inter-faith and interethnic meeting is to rub minds, to find a special moment to grieve in our hearts, and also to express our revulsion against the ugly recent events of killings and destruction in parts of Plateau State. We also wish to convey our heart-felt condolences to affected families and to offer prayers for a quick recovery for the wounded and displaced persons. We also want to demonstrate how remorseful we are before God for offences committed in our land by saying categorically reconfirming to the world that we in Plateau State are peace – lovers and are vehemently against whatever violates the sanctity of human life or destroys people’s means of livelihood and homes.”

He added that people of goodwill should not be merely saddened and depressed by such barbaric killings and destruction but should also emphatically denounce, resist, abhor and condemn the inhuman acts. Participants collectively agreed that no sane person should support the gruesome murders, reprisal attacks, blocking of roads and killing of people. Elsewhere, in Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi States, killing by armed bandits are all signs that security agents must devise a more serious and functional strategy to combat crime.

Arising from the meeting, Religious and Community leaders as well as other stakeholders made the following resolutions:

1.    We condemn in the strongest terms, the recent, wanton and unwarranted killing of innocent citizens of our dear state, and destruction of properties when we thought that lasting peace had finally returned to our dear state.

2.    We equally condemn in strong terms the criminal acts of killing that took place on our highways in the name of reprisals, where even fellow citizens of the state were not spared. No culture or religion on earth justifies killings no matter the degree of provocation.

3.    While we do not judge or condemn any individual or group, we however call on security agencies to fish out and prosecute these enemies of Plateau state both within and without, who are hell bent on destroying the peace and prosperity of Plateau state.

4.    We find it alarming that even innocent women and children, who in normal war situations are spared, were not spared by these merchants of death.

5.    We understand that some suspects have been arrested following the massacre of our innocent citizens. We call on Government and security agents to leave no stone unturned until their collaborators and sponsors are fished out and prosecuted.

6.    Our hearts go out in sympathy to all those who have lost loved ones and property. We pray that God will bring healing to their hearts and condole them over their loses.

7.    We regret that instead of using our energy to exploit the rich and fertile agricultural and mineral endowment which God has blessed our dear state with, we have willfully resorted to inflicting more poverty and pain on our citizens through hatred and violence.

8.    Since as experience has shown, violence like wildfire does not spare any religion or ethnicity, we must agree therefore to rise above all ethnic, political or religious differences, to collectively voice our condemnation of the recent acts of barbarism in some parts of Plateau state. We also call on all well meaning citizens of Plateau state to join hands with the incumbent governor of Plateau State and the security agencies, to find ways of healing wounds and promoting peaceful coexistence.

9.    We confess that we have all sinned against God, against one another and against our land, either by our silence, provocative and inciting statements, active involvement or tele-guided conspiracy. We therefore need to turn to God and one another and beg for forgiveness. We also need to ask God to touch the hearts of those responsible, that their hearts of stone be softened and changed to hearts of flesh.

10.  We call on all security agencies to wake up to their responsibilities of safeguarding lives and properties of citizens, by fishing out those responsible for the attacks on our land and their collaborators. We also encourage synergy between security agencies and community/religious leaders in their effort to secure our communities from invasion.

11.  We condemn in strong terms the wave of rumour mongering and hate speech circulating through the social media perpetrated by enemies of peace. We encourage citizens to always verify information before circulating it, and also stop the negative use of the social media.

12.  While we commend DREP Centre for their effort in dialogue, reconciliation and other peace building activities, we appeal to the Centre to convene a meeting of all elders in the state, politicians, security agents, the media, the youth, religious and community leaders, where issues affecting the peaceful coexistence, unity and progress of Plateau State are discussed sincerely and decisions taken. 

13.  Finally, we wish to renew our invitation to the inter-faith prayer for healing and peace in Plateau State, being organized by DREP Centre and here at the DREP Centre. This comes up on 30th August 2018 by 10am. Please endeavour to be part of that spiritual activity.