The procession which kicked off from the popular Wuse Market in Abuja was terminated at Berger Roundabout despite the threats of clampdown by the Nigerian police.
Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) otherwise known as ‘Shi'ites’ on Wednesday staged a peaceful march to commemorate the 2024 Islamic calendar Day of Ashura.
The procession which kicked off from the popular Wuse Market in Abuja was terminated at Berger Roundabout despite the threats of clampdown by the Nigerian police.
The FCT police command on Monday issued a statement warning the sect members to shelve the planned protest and rally, adding that antecedents had shown that such activities, carried out by the IMN members, often resulted in significant disturbances, leading to anarchy and chaos within the capital territory.
A statement signed by Prof. Dauda Nalado on behalf of the movement said Islamic movement, under the leadership of Sayyid Ibraheem Yaqoub El-Zakzaky joined the global community in commemorating the annual event with the theme ‘Ashura mourning with a purpose: channeling grief into resistance’.
The statement reads, “Ashura, the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, is a day of commemoration in Islam.
“Ashura is being commemorated to mourn the killing of Imam Hussain (AS), who was beheaded at Karbala (in present-day Iraq) in 61 AH, equivalent to 680 CE. Imam Hussain ibn Ali ibn Abi Ṭalib (AS) is a grandson of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) and a son of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Sayyida Fatima bintu Muhammad (SAWA), as well as a younger brother of Imam Hassan ibn Ali (AS).
“The events of the 10th of Muharram in the year 61 AH, when Yazid ibn Mu’awiyah brutally murdered Imam Hussain ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), in Karbala, Iraq, along with his family and friends, are the most tragic episode not only in the history of Islam but in all of human tragedy.
“All people, regardless of religion, will continue to learn many lessons from Imam Hussain's (AS) martyrdom. Every year, millions of people commemorate the Ashura tragedy all throughout the world, and this universal acceptance is a portent of the return of Imam Mahdi ibn Hassan Al-Askari (ATFS), the long-awaited Saviour of humanity.
“The Ashura of this year comes with a peculiarity. It comes when the illegal state of Israel launches an all-out genocide against women and children in Palestine. It violates all the known humane conventions and commits war crimes with impunity.
“The Zionists have full support of the regimes in America and the West. More interestingly, while the regimes in America and its allies support the illegal state of Israel, millions of people in America and other western countries come out to support the people of Palestine.
“As usual, the Islamic movement, under the revered leadership of his Eminence Sayyid Ibraheem Yaqoub El-Zakzaky (H), joins the global community in commemorating this annual event with the theme Ashura mourning with a purpose: channelling grief into resistance. Imam Ali bn Abi Tablib (AS) says, ‘When you see an oppressed person, then help him against the oppressor.’
“In another hadith, Imam Hussein bn Ali (AS) says, ‘Those who are silent when others are oppressed are guilty of oppression themselves.’ This hadith reminds us of our duty to support the oppressed and resist oppression.
“While commemorating the tragedy of Karbala, at the same time we are channelling our Ashura grief into resistance against the injustice being perpetuated against the people of Palestine.
“We would like to use this opportunity to send our condolences to the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) and his holy progeny on the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS), and may Allah (SWT) grant us their intercession on the day of judgment.
“While commemorating the tragedy of Ashura, we are calling on Ashura mourners to channel their grief towards resistance against the Zionist occupation of Palestine. We are also calling on all people of conscience to continue to support the people of Palestine.”
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