Religion in Ethiopia consists of a number of faiths. Among these the main and longstanding ones are Abrahamic religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Religious beliefs that are indigenous are freely also being exercised among diverse followers.
The country’s close historical tie to all three of the world’s major Abrahamic religions is also manifest in the respective holy books. The name “Ethiopia” (Hebrew Kush) is mentioned in the Bible numerous times (thirty-seven times in the King James Version). Abyssinia is also mentioned in the Qur’an and Hadith.
Ethiopia is one of the oldest Christian states in the world. The Kingdom of Aksum was one of the first nations to officially accept Christianity, when St. Frumentius of Tyre, called Fremnatos or Abba Selama (“Father of Peace”) in Ethiopia, converted King Ezana during the 4th century AD. Many believe that the Gospel had entered Ethiopia even earlier, with the royal official described as being baptized by Philip the Evangelist in chapter eight of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 8:26–39).
It is also the site of the first Hijra in Islamic history and the oldest Muslim settlement in Africa at Negash. Islam in Ethiopia dates back to the founding of the religion; in 615, when a group of Muslims were counseled by Muhammad to escape persecution in Mecca and travel to Ethiopia via modern-day Eritrea, which was ruled by Ashama ibn Abjar, a pious Christian king. Bilal ibn Ribah, the first Muezzin, the person chosen to call the faithful to prayer, and one of the foremost companions of Muhammad, was born in Mecca to an Abyssinian mother. Moreover, the largest portion of non-Arab Companions of Muhammad belonged to Ethiopian ethnic groups.
Irrespective of the number of followers, all religions have lived together in unison and cooperation among each other in many ways. To take the two religions with greater number of followers, Christianity and Islam as exemplary, one has been participating in the construction and mending of religious institution of the other. Besides, it has become common nowadays in which followers of both religions take part in cleaning the celebration areas of one another during festivals. This habit contributes a lot to the solid interaction between them that is sustained as strong as steel.
Despite such solidified coexistence, foreign enemies of Ethiopia and their allies inland have left no stone unturned to dismantle the country via orchestrating various conspiracies. They employ diversities of nations, clans, languages and even boundaries as tools to create conflict among the peoples. Realizing the failure of these tactics, they extended their intrigue to religious differences. The destruction and burning of religions’ institutions of both sides and killing of their respective leaders in different parts of the country were aimed at achieving their evil goal though the people refused to go in their pipeline.
The recent incident in Gondar city, the northern part of the country, and the fabricated news that follow were to stimulate conflicts between the two longstanding Christian and Islam religions but in vain due to the strong bondage among the respective followers. This must give lessons to those engaged in such evil deeds to stop playing with fire being aware of accountability.
Whatever they do, Ethiopians, irrespective of their religious differences, should stand together just as they have been doing so far. The enemy of one religion should be considered as the enemy of all whether he/she is Christian, Islam or any other. It is the time to harden their ties more than ever before and show this to their enemies including those disseminated fake news.
The 30 April 2022
