BY LAKACHEW ATINAFU
Heterogeneity and variety are building blocks of creation as a million options are better than one. Everything by its own has contribution for humanity and the wellbeing of existence. Human beings can be categorized based on race, ethnicity, and color difference, religion, highlander and lowlander and so on and so forth. In this connection, Ethiopia is miniature representation of the world in terms of unity in diversity.
Many have tried to build wall of vengeance among brotherhood to erase Ethiopia from the world map though the diverse nation in the country have been well aware of the plot and traveled distant in the chronology of glory and misery regardless of either religious or language difference. The country besides ethno lingual diversity is also the home for various religious and ethnic groups. The faithful have never had undergone deeds to hate each other and inflate their egos because of religious differences.
Sleepless enemies from abroad and inside are trying to instigate conflict and abolish the country sensitizing the public, triggering religion as current agenda using digital media as a platform. Nonetheless, as one has learnt from his/ her past, Ethiopians have been passed through temptations and the new attempt to abolish the country under the pretext religion is an ill wind.
The public and the state are guardian angels of their age long coexistence, harmony, patience and are also models to the rest of the world for sustaining such adorable value. In the min time, there appeared to occur some chaos every here and there in the country to weaponize religion as a means of instigating conflict among the diverse fraternity aiming to tempt sovereignty of the country.
Unfold reality is that the fundamentals of every religion is to do virtues based on intrinsic moral principles and ethics of the cosmos. Of course the world is full of religion but with pseudo religiousness. The discrepancy between belief and trust appeared to be paradox bewildering believers and the clergy. The clergy for ages have been served as instrument to exploit the demos magnifying the glory of royals and attributing them to superstitious matter.
These days, the gate valve for opportunists seems to be religion while the country has to respond lots question of existence though religion is also considered as more. In the Holy Bible and other religious books there is no statement belittling the others; but rather they forward that the significance of righteous deeds as unwritten law of the universe.
Never escape from the truth Ethiopia was instance of diversity and seen as a conjurer in maintaining and sustaining coexistence taking advantages of religious, ethno lingual and geographic diversity. The constitution codifies the separation of religion and the state, establishes freedom of religious choice, prohibits religious discrimination, and stipulates the government shall not interfere in the practice of any religion, nor shall any religion interfere in the affairs of the state.
However, extremism is serving elements as a conduit to escape from penalty and a weapon to confuse the faithful. Faith by itself doesn’t advocate hate the others based on the religion they follow. The country has a long journey and uphill struggle ahead to eradicate poverty. Thus religious leaders, the faithful, statesmen first should accept differences and respect human beings option and refrain from politicizing religion. The core value of religion is faith, wellbeing, humanity and betterment of creation from prenatal to eternal life. There are development projects which need finger prints of all but some are inciting conflict sensitizing the public through social media saying we and they.
What the country has learnt from history?
No one can deny that Christianity and the teaching of Islam are not originated in Africa though the piece is not aiming to condemn the religions imported from abroad. As we have learnt from our past it is advisable to turn pages of histories and how Ethiopia was model for the rest of the world being hospitable for fugitives migrated from oversea continent.
As documents reveal, the migration to Abyssinia also known as the First Hijra (al-hijrat al’uwlaa), was an episode in the early history of Islam, where the first followers of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (they were known as the Sahabah) migrated from Arabia due to their persecution by the Quraysh, the ruling Arab tribal confederation of Mecca. They sought and were granted refuge in the Kingdom of Aksum, an ancient Christian state that was situated in modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea (also referred to as Abyssinia.
The ruling Axumite monarch who received them is known in Islamic sources as Najashi, the Negus of the kingdom; modern historians have alternatively identified him with the Aksumite king Armah and Ella Tsaham. Some of the Sahabah exiles returned to Mecca and made the migration to Medina with Muhammad, while others remained in Aksum.
This is to mean that Ethiopia is not belonged to Christian alone but it is counterproductive to understand the gist of the piece in a sense that the predominated Christian Kingdom was hospitable for fugitives who were seeking asylum in Africa. But nowadays, religion is served as a ticking bomb for parties to dismantle the country and there are groups to reap fruit from fragmentation.
According to Pasteus Zarihun Degu, Ethiopia is a multi‐ethnic nation endowed with diversified culture, language, faith, religion and rich history. Religion is important in the lives of the majority of the world’s population. At most individual level, people’s lives are guided by their religious beliefs and values. In Ethiopia, the Christian and Muslim religions have been living in peaceful co‐existence for centuries and this has become a living witness for the rest of the world.
The crucial rational behind the symbol of our co‐existence is that religion remains not just only part of Ethiopians’ life but it is the strongest infrastructure of its culture. Christianity in Ethiopia dates to the first century AD, and this long tradition makes Ethiopia unique among sub-Saharan African countries. The first Muslim contingent, during the inception of Islam, came to Ethiopia in the 7th century in 615 AD. When Prophet Mohammed saw the persecution to which his followers were subjected to in Mecca he told them to find safe haven in northern Ethiopia/Abyssinia, where they would “find a king there who does not wrong anyone.” That was the first Hijira (migration) in Islam’s history.
They were received by the king of Ethiopia, who Arabic tradition has named as hamaIbnAb jar; he settled them in Negash, Tigray Region. As history puts it, Prophet Mohammed instructed his followers who came to Ethiopia to respect and protect Ethiopia as well as live in peace with Ethiopian Christians. Historically, the social significance of religion is played out through religious communities and institutions and to a great extent determines their nature and functioning.
Religious leaders play a vital role in promoting peace, tolerance and understanding. They are often seen as the keepers of collective identity, history and memories. As such, religions can help to shape community responses to different threats, expose social injustice and create conditions for healing the wounds. The legitimacy and credibility of religious leaders with their charismatic power are greatly enhanced when they act jointly across denominational and faith divides. When faith communities build their capacities, they can turn threats into opportunities to strengthen relationships,
preserve valuable resources, and make their lives a testimony to the love and power of God. Qualities such as charisma, compassion, understanding, stewardship, and forgiveness can be cited as key attributes that help to explain why religious leaders are able to succeed.
This has a positive impact on mitigating, managing or handling various problems. They harbor several key attributes essential to positive community relationship, allowing them to concentrate their efforts in areas where they will be more effective. They can achieve greater success if combined with similar secular and government efforts. It was a major step for the different prominent religious organs to join hand and hearts to work together on national peace and development issues.
Amid all these, there are problems waged by some domestic and foreign elements for personal or communal interests. Having had all the efforts to see the last breath of Ethiopia, adding poison to the diversity instigating conflict, enemies of the country failed and now began new way using religion preferred strategy to dismantle the country. What is important is that though religion and state are functioning independently, but it is sometimes important to handle discuss situations if they tempt national security.
Following the reform in Ethiopia, there have been smart moves and initiatives to resolve religious and other polarities based on discussion and forgiveness. Finally, the world should understand that the naked truth that Ethiopia is the cradle of humanity and the land of origin and had been since the most Known human history.
Presently, the Christians and Muslims faithful are in fasting season praying and in the mood of tranquility and inner composure to strengthen the bond with the almighty and the wellbeing of mankind and creatures. Hence, taking advantage of such blessing, it is lucrative to promote such instance of patience to the rest of the world that Ethiopia will continue to be mighty as it had been regardless of differences. The world should also consider the intertwining and magnetic relation amid varied religious and linguistic diversity and take lessons of patience, and companions paying tribute to bow down to the principle of humanity first.
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 25 MARCH 2023
