Tens of thousands of Muslims converged at Sheikh Tahir Usman Bauchi Friday Mosque, Asikolaye along the Nnamdi Azikiwe Way Kaduna to join a procession against the blasphemous film

 and cartoon that depicted the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad SAWA in a bad way, organized by the Kaduna center of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria under the leadership of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky in the early hours of Monday.

The peaceful procession escorted by heavily armed security men, passed through Dutsenma road and terminated at Ibrahim Taiwo road in Tudun Wada covering a distance of about four kilometers. The protesters carried placards with slogans like Death to America! Death to Israel! No to blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad!, with men women and children chanting the same slogans.

In the release they gave people where they explained the reason for the procession, it was mentioned, “A great catastrophe has befallen the world when from the country of the Great Satan (United States), an Israeli was commissioned to produce anti-Islam film that mocked and ridiculed Islam, Prophet Muhammad and followers of this great religion. The film, apart from outward mockery on tenets and beliefs of Islam, presented Prophet Muhammad in a display of an unspeakable immoral manner and personality. Similarly, the release of this movie at this material time, was a move to institutionalize September 11 event as an annual ritual to portray Islam as a religion of terrorists.”

Also explaining a life commitment to the protection of the sanctity of the Prophet SAWA, it was mentioned “we are aware of the covert operations of agents of America in Nigeria, who are bent on defending American interests at all cost. They should know that, we are ready to defend the personality of our Beloved Prophet with the last drop of our blood.”

In a closing remark delivered at the end of the protest march by the head of the Kaduna center of the Islamic Movement, Malam Mukhtar Sahabi, he called on the Muslims to live up to their responsibilities as Muslims. He said, “this procession is not for any particular sect or group of Muslims but for all Muslims because there is only one Prophet Muhammad and he is for all.”

Describing the manner and conduct of the procession, the head of the Kaduna center said, “our procession is peaceful and we extend our message to the world that we condemn the United States for harboring the perpetrators of the blasphemous clip.”

He also said, “definitely America is guilty of the crime because if the west will not tolerate showing the royalty of England naked on the front pages of newspaper, they should equally not tolerate abusing the personality of the holy Prophet Muhammad SAWA who is revered by more people than the entire people of Europe.” 

Also present at the procession were Christians sympathizing with the Muslims whose representative in person of pastor Theophilus Ismaila said that it is wrong to blaspheme the prophet of Islam.

The protesters burnt American, Israeli and French flags as a sign of expressing their anger and also prayed that woe befalls the perpetrators of the blasphemy.     

By A. Giwa