Christmas: Muslim woman donates to pastors, widows, IDPs in Kaduna

AMIDST the challenges of rising food prices across the country, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani, a  Muslim woman, has distributed Christmas trees, wrappers and cash gifts to Christian widows and  clerics  in Kaduna to celebrate Christmas  festivities.

Tijjani, who is  an international interfaith specialist,   said  during Ramadan, Pastor  Yohanna Buru, the General Overseer of a church, in Kaduna, usually shares 50 bags of food items with poor Muslims  in  the mosque, enabling them to participate  in the 30 days of the holy month.

She said that her initiative was aimed at supporting over 200 widows, internally displaced persons  (IDPs)  and orphanages during the Christmas, to foster peaceful coexistence, love  and tolerance among the people of different faiths.

Tijjani expressed  the  desire to bring joy  to widows, allowing them to celebrate the season in the same spirit as Christians worldwide.

The donations were made at the Church of Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry in Gwagwi Villa, Kaduna.

“Christmas provides the  opportunity for Muslims to demonstrate to their Christian neighbours that Islam is a religion of peace, love and tolerance.

“I want to see widows, orphans and elderly persons at Yuletide season smiling and enjoying themselves like any other Christian family during a festive season like this,” she said.

She explained that during Sallah, many Christians used to send her gifts which she shared to the underprivileged.

Tijjani stressed the commonality among people of different faiths, stressing  the shared origin of Adam and Eve as the original biological parents.

She  stressed  the need to assist widows and orphans, transcending tribal, cultural, regional, and linguistic differences.

Tijjani reaffirmed her commitment to spreading joy by sharing more wrappers and food items  with other churches in Kaduna and neighbouring states, contributing to widows’ happiness during the festive season.

Responding to Tijjani’s generosity,   Buru expressed satisfaction with her  initiative, calling on wealthy individuals to assist the needy during  Christmas season and beyond.

He acknowledged Tijjani’s annual assistance to the church  over the years,  stressing  the importance of Christians studying their scriptures to  bring  good relationship with other faith-based organisations..

Buru, an interfaith specialist and winner of the United Nations World International Interfaith Week and Harmony 2022,  urged  Muslims and Christians to live together in peace and harmony.