Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the nation’s incoming president, has urged Muslims to follow the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) principles of humility, forgiving others, and serving others.
This was said by Tinubu in a message of congratulations to Muslims as the Ramadan fasting period began on Thursday.
As Ramadan gets underway this year, he wished all Muslims who had been given the opportunity by Almighty Allah to observe this holy month well and congratulated them.
“Ramadan is more than a month of fasting. We fast to strengthen our relationship and our appreciation of Allah. We fast to make ourselves better servants of both Allah and our fellow man. However, this month is more than abstention from food and drink from dawn to dusk. It must entail imbibing the spirit and true meaning behind the holy month. We must keep hold of the excellent and wonderful things the holy month of Ramadan signifies.
“As we embark on fasting and spiritual reflection, let us proceed, imbued with the spirit of sacrifice, self-discipline, goodwill, justice, tolerance, mercy, compassion, and generosity that lie at the heart of Islam.
“Let us strive to emulate Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) example of humility, forgiveness, and service to others.
“Let us move in this way that we may make of ourselves a better people and nation in which all people, Muslims, and non-Muslims, may live in trust, peace, and justice as Allah would have it be.”
He advised Muslims to use the time to pray for Nigeria, its leaders, and the country’s diversity, which has to be cultivated.
“We must join hands to bring progress in Nigeria by praying for unity and progress. The lessons of the holy month of Ramadan point to the success of unity, not the failure of division.
“May this Ramadan bring us all closer to Allah. May our fasting and prayers be accepted. May this holy month be a time of peace, unity, and harmony in Nigeria and for all humanity.
“Ramadan Mubarak to all Muslims in Nigeria and across the world,” he added.
Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president, also emphasized in his Ramadan message to Muslims the importance of sacrifice and devotion in worshiping God, which he described as the tenets of the holy month.
This year’s Ramadan fell during a period of political upheaval, he observed, “and as a people, we are at a point of depression and perplexity. “But he was happy that “the month of Ramadan has come to us as a blessing from the Almighty with an opportunity for us to wash away our worries, doubts, and hopelessness,” as he put it.
It is obvious that the core values of this holy month are what we need to heal both our personal and national wounds. First is the importance of sacrifice not just to our families and the people around us but to the cause of peace.”