Miracle of Ramadhan
August 2, 2011Al-Rajhi on course to become global mega Islamic bank
August 5, 2011Islamic banking: Dialogue is the answer – Cleric
Available at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/08/islamic-banking-dialogue-is-the-answer-cleric/
LAGOS—THE Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, NIREC, has been urged to intervene in the ongoing controversy over Islamic banking by initiating dialogue between the Christian and Muslim leaders.
Minister in Charge of Motailatu Church Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide (Sanctuary Parish), Alakuko, Lagos, Special Apostle Israel S. Akinadewo, said the issue of Islamic banking has moved toward a dangerous dimension and only a genuine dialogue between the two religious bodies could resolve it.
Akinadewo said:“It is better for Christian and Muslim leaders to dialogue on the Islamic banking palaver than to be beating the drums of war.”
While noting that small and medium-scale businesses and enterprises needed a free-interest banking that would boost such businesses and in turn elevate the economy of the nation, Akinadewo said: “So, any nation that neglects the small and medium-scale businesses that form the largest portion of the population does so at its own peril.
But these small businesses could not meet the requirements of accessing loans from the conventional banks, hence the need for interest-free banking.
“But the situation now on ground, is that the Muslims see the Islamic banking as their own baby that should serve their interest alone.
That is the problem which the Christians had foreseen.”
He suggested that a neutral name be given to the bank, while the composition of its board of directors should be based on financial expertise, warning that a nation like Nigeria could not withstand the test of breaking-up or destabilization.
On Boko Haram, Special Apostle Akinadewo, said if the people behind the sect are saying that western education is evil and were, themselves, using bomb, cars and other things manufactured by Western countries, then they were acting on ignorance or their belief and action had political undertones.
Regards
ZULKIFLI HASAN