₦airaland Forum

A couple of days ago, a certain individual stirred an unhealthy debate on X about a banner hung around Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos. The inscription on the banner reads: "Jesus Christ is not God. He is a Servant and Messenger of God." Like a wild fire, the controversy spread across all social media platforms, with commentators divided along religious lines.

As expected, most Christians found the inscription to be provocative, offensive, and inciting, citing the fact that it negates the principles of peaceful coexistence and tolerance in a multi religious country. Another point raised was the timing of hanging the banner, especially at a time when Christians are preparing to celebrate Christmas.

A number of Muslim commentators seem to agree with the above submissions. They faulted the Masjid authority for insensitivity to the feelings of the Christian community at a time when Christmas is just a couple of days away. They equally submitted that irrespective of the period, hanging such a banner violates the concept of peace which is a core and fundamental teaching of Islam.

Thus, the social media battle shifted from an inter to an intra religious one, with some ethnic colouration and dimensions poured into it. Some of the arguments were logical, while some were completely emotional. Worse still, some had hypocritical stripes drawn over it. To make matters worse, those who cannot handle intellectual engagements went on hurling insults and throwing jabs and invective, burning bridges and severing ties along the way.

Earlier today, I watched the Khutbah delivered yesterday by the Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque, and one cannot but appreciate his eloquence and calmness in the midst of the storm created by the issue. His short address of the issue provides the following insights:

1. The banner wasn't hung this month or even last month. It has been there for well over 2 months.

2. The text on the banner is a verse of the Noble Qur'ān (5:75) which says, مَا الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ "Jesus the son of Mar'yam is not but a Messenger of Allah." This verse is a continuation of verse 72 which says, لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ إِنَّ اللّهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَقَالَ الْمَسِيحُ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ

"And surely they disbelieved when they said: 'Christ, the son of Mary, is indeed God'; whereas Christ had said: 'Children of Israel! Serve Allah, Who is your Lord and my Lord."

3. In a country where freedom of religion is guaranteed, when does it become a crime to state exactly what your religion says, and which does NOT in any way insult others?

4. If Christians feel that "Jesus is not God" offends them, how should Muslims feel about the thousands of banners which says, "Jesus is Lord"? Your right to say Jesus is Lord which you claim is a biblical statement is the Muslim's right to say, "Jesus is not Lord" which is a Qur'ān verse. Why should the Muslim suppress his right for your right when both can actually coexist?

5. Jesus is not the Christian's property alone. He is a Prophet of God sent to the Children of Israel. Belief in him is a fundamental teaching in Islam. Muslims love and rever him and his mother. Not only were they mentioned in the Qur'ān, Mary'am, his mother actually has a whole chapter dedicated to her holiness. To think that only the Christians have the right to mention Jesus is wrong.

6. Some have argued that how will the Muslims feel if Christians decide to hang a banner that says "Muhammad is not a Prophet of God." Well, that would be a deliberate act of provocation because there's no single verse of the Bible that says so. In fact, the Bible rightly prophesied his coming as the COMFORTER.

Those who accuse Muslims of troublemaking are either ignorant and gullible, or deliberately mischievous. The real troublemakers are the individual who took that picture and his co-travellers who amplified and blowed it beyond reasonable proportions.

Unfortunately, they found a voice in some Muslims who either forgot Qur'ān 2:120, or simply want to be celebrated as the good guys at the expense of what is sound and logical. How can you say لا إله إلا الله "There's no god but Allāh" and still blame your fellow Muslims for saying "Jesus is not God" when you see nothing wrong with a non Muslim saying, "Jesus is Lord"?

Should Muslims apply the same logic, every banner that says "Jesus is Lord" must be removed immediately as it is offensive and provocative. Let's live and let others live.

Sanusi Lafiagi

Ask any Christian that if truly Jesus is God, why did Jesus prayed to God to rescue him from the cross

Matthew 27:46
About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

khalling2008:
Ask any Christian that if truly Jesus is God, why did Jesus prayed to God to rescue him from the cross

Matthew 27:46
About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

Exactly

AntiChristian:
JESUS THE WORSHIPPER

Matthew 14:23
“And when he (Jesus) had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray…..”

Matthew 26:39
Going a little farther, he (Jesus) fell with his face to the ground and prayed...

I say: If he (Jesus) is God or a part of God then why did he pray? In fact, prayer is always from a submitting, needy and dependent one for the Mercy of Almighty Allah as mentioned in the Qur’ân. (V. 35:15):-

“O mankind! it is you who stand in need of Allah but Allah is Rich (Free of all wants and needs), Worthy of all praise” (35:15).

And in (V. 19:93) of Qur’ân:-
“There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Most Beneficent (Allah) as a slave.”

Absolutely

Why fell with his face to the ground and prayed if he is truly a God at all?


Please all you bible non adherents should make do with some truthfulness


Don't let the baseless hatred cloud your common sense in seeking knowledge about your religion and truly practice what it teaches you


Read your Bible on your own not only what your so called pastors told to.

Hussein27:
A couple of days ago, a certain individual stirred an unhealthy debate on X about a banner hung around Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos. The inscription on the banner reads: "Jesus Christ is not God. He is a Servant and Messenger of God." Like a wild fire, the controversy spread across all social media platforms, with commentators divided along religious lines.

As expected, most Christians found the inscription to be provocative, offensive, and inciting, citing the fact that it negates the principles of peaceful coexistence and tolerance in a multi religious country. Another point raised was the timing of hanging the banner, especially at a time when Christians are preparing to celebrate Christmas.

A number of Muslim commentators seem to agree with the above submissions. They faulted the Masjid authority for insensitivity to the feelings of the Christian community at a time when Christmas is just a couple of days away. They equally submitted that irrespective of the period, hanging such a banner violates the concept of peace which is a core and fundamental teaching of Islam.

Thus, the social media battle shifted from an inter to an intra religious one, with some ethnic colouration and dimensions poured into it. Some of the arguments were logical, while some were completely emotional. Worse still, some had hypocritical stripes drawn over it. To make matters worse, those who cannot handle intellectual engagements went on hurling insults and throwing jabs and invective, burning bridges and severing ties along the way.

Earlier today, I watched the Khutbah delivered yesterday by the Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque, and one cannot but appreciate his eloquence and calmness in the midst of the storm created by the issue. His short address of the issue provides the following insights:

1. The banner wasn't hung this month or even last month. It has been there for well over 2 months.

2. The text on the banner is a verse of the Noble Qur'ān (5:75) which says, مَا الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ "Jesus the son of Mar'yam is not but a Messenger of Allah." This verse is a continuation of verse 72 which says, لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ إِنَّ اللّهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَقَالَ الْمَسِيحُ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ

"And surely they disbelieved when they said: 'Christ, the son of Mary, is indeed God'; whereas Christ had said: 'Children of Israel! Serve Allah, Who is your Lord and my Lord."

3. In a country where freedom of religion is guaranteed, when does it become a crime to state exactly what your religion says, and which does NOT in any way insult others?

4. If Christians feel that "Jesus is not God" offends them, how should Muslims feel about the thousands of banners which says, "Jesus is Lord"? Your right to say Jesus is Lord which you claim is a biblical statement is the Muslim's right to say, "Jesus is not Lord" which is a Qur'ān verse. Why should the Muslim suppress his right for your right when both can actually coexist?

5. Jesus is not the Christian's property alone. He is a Prophet of God sent to the Children of Israel. Belief in him is a fundamental teaching in Islam. Muslims love and rever him and his mother. Not only were they mentioned in the Qur'ān, Mary'am, his mother actually has a whole chapter dedicated to her holiness. To think that only the Christians have the right to mention Jesus is wrong.

6. Some have argued that how will the Muslims feel if Christians decide to hang a banner that says "Muhammad is not a Prophet of God." Well, that would be a deliberate act of provocation because there's no single verse of the Bible that says so. In fact, the Bible rightly prophesied his coming as the COMFORTER.

Those who accuse Muslims of troublemaking are either ignorant and gullible, or deliberately mischievous. The real troublemakers are the individual who took that picture and his co-travellers who amplified and blowed it beyond reasonable proportions.

Unfortunately, they found a voice in some Muslims who either forgot Qur'ān 2:120, or simply want to be celebrated as the good guys at the expense of what is sound and logical. How can you say لا إله إلا الله "There's no god but Allāh" and still blame your fellow Muslims for saying "Jesus is not God" when you see nothing wrong with a non Muslim saying, "Jesus is Lord"?

Should Muslims apply the same logic, every banner that says "Jesus is Lord" must be removed immediately as it is offensive and provocative. Let's live and let others live.

Sanusi Lafiagi

Jesus is Lord, Jesus is not God.

There is only one God, JHVH, creator of the heavens and the earth and one Mediator and Lord, the Christ, son of God, Jesus.

gohf:
Jesus is Lord, Jesus is not God.

There is only one God, JHVH, creator of the heavens and the earth and one Mediator and Lord, the Christ, son of God, Jesus.

Can you differentiate lord and God

Because they all sound the same to me

May Allah bless the Imam of Lekki Central
Mosque
pic.twitter.com/0nd5KgTc4M

— Engr Yasir MNSE 🏗 (@oil_shaeikh) December 21, 2024

If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask God that gives liberally. You don't provoke people and call it propagation, especially when you can't take the same aura for aura. Ordinary drawing you will start beheading people, but you are here hiding behind a finger as an hypocrite.

Hussein27:
Can you differentiate lord and God

Because they all sound the same to me

but L sounds different from G, is it like your accent or something

Serious there are many lords and kings, who are rulers buy there is only one God, the creator