By Abubakar Rabilu, Gombe,
Zakah and Waqf Foundation in Gombe state has urged Christian community in Kurba town of the state to embrace tree planting as a way of protecting the environment from degradation.
The Foundation’s Chairman, Ameer Abdullahi Abubakar Lamido, made the plea when he led a powerful delegation from the Foundation to the Salama Baptist Church to sensitize them on the importance of tree planting embarked upon by ZAWFOG.
The visit by the Foundation delegation to the Salama Baptist church is at instance of invitation by the Church leaders as a way of cementing relations between members of the two faiths in the town.
According to Lamido, this Tree year’s Waqf tree Planting Program is the 5th since the establishment of the Foundation.
“When there is heat or erosion from lack of trees, it does not affect people of one religion”.
“It is the people as a whole that suffer. Likewise when Kurba becomes a shady town and begins to generate revenue from economic trees, it is the whole community that will reap the benefits”.
“Although we differ in faith, we share common concerns about the environment.We must work together to protect and enhance it,” Lamido said.
The Foundation Chairman dwelled extensively on the teachings of Islam of protecting an environment based on several Qur’anic verses and Hadiths.
He therefore make emphasis on the importance of planting of trees and the benefits and rewards one drives from an economic tree planted, even if it is a minute before the day of Judgment.
Lamido who gave insight on the closeness between Muslims and Christians in terms of affection as contained in the holy Qur’an quoted some verses in the Holy Qur’an that directs Muslims to treat Christians with justice, fairness and kindness.
He said, the Holy Qur’an has described the Christians as “the closest to the believers in terms of love” and “this is because among them are priests and monks, and they are not arrogant”.
Lamido explained that based on the Islamic teachings, the visit by the Foundation to Kurba town was not exclusively to Muslims, but to the whole community regardless of the faiths.
While receiving the delegation, the Pastor of the Church, Reverend Daniel Sama’ila Mayau, described the visit by the Foundation as a sign of respect, honor and a rare by other non-Christian organizations to the church.
Highlight of the visit was symbolic tree planting at the church premises by the delegations from the ZAWFOG.
