By Nchendzengang Tatah
Muslim faithful in Buea were charged with the obligation to consult one another to build unity and inclusive communities. Alhadji Mohammed Aboubakar told the faithful at the Buea Central Mosque on June 6 as they commemorated the Feast of the Ram (Eid Al-Adha).
He pitched his sermon on mutual consultation inspired by Quran 42 verse 38. He said dialogue was important in fostering a sense of belonging amongst people. That gave room for their voices and so their aspirations.
“… Things are going the way they are today, but people don’t want to consult each other, and there is nobody who has the monopoly of knowledge,” the religious leader said. Further emphasising that mutual consultation was important from the basic unit of the family, between parents and their children.
The Buea Central Mosque Imam told listeners, “Always consult, don’t impose. If you consult, you will learn from your colleagues things you never knew they were aware of. So, one must learn to consult; don’t just make decisions, and you’ll be like a dictator.”
In his homily, Sheikh Aboubakar said the practice of Islam was disconnected from vain things and witchcraft. He charged the faithful to be steadfast in their principles of holiness and responsibility. He called on them to help others even when they were economically pressed. Moreover, reminding them to do to others what they want to be done to themselves.
The Muslim cleric instructed the faithful to remain obedient to the will of Allah, which he said made Ibrahim want to sacrifice his only son. To give generously to the needy and poor as an expression of love. The special prayer session took place in the uncompleted building to host the Buea Central Mosque in Buea Town. Muslim authorities said it was an act of faith as they hoped that the three-storey structure would be realised in the years ahead.
“This project is a project that we thought would take us 400 million. But now, from statistics, it has shown that even with 700 million, we will not be able to carry out the project to its completion,” the Imam said as he expressed gratitude for the contributions which had already been received, while he encouraged more. Prayers were made for peace, prosperity, and good governance in Cameroon, especially during the Presidential elections slated for October. A symbolic ram was slaughtered at the end of the solemn prayer session in remembrance of the faith of Abraham in sacrificing his son.
