Notable Muslim scholars in Nigeria – Alhaji Kunle Sanni, Prof Taofeeq Abdulazeez, Abu Umar Al-Faruq, Sheikh Umar Dada Paiko, Sheikh Abdurahman Sulaiman, Imam Nojeem Jimoh and Dr Lukman Abdurraheem, have shared their views about observing the holy month of Ramadan amid the novel Coronavirus pandemic and getting the best out of it.
They expressed their views in a specially designed video clip produced by Muslim News where they encouraged Muslims to tap the opportunities that come with the lockdown in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, even as they advised the faithful to take sanitary guidelines identified by health authorities.
According to Professor Taofeeq AbdulAzeez, the Chief Imam, University of Abuja, “Although we are observing the fast under a pandemic, COVID-19 and in a lockdown, I must assure you that it’s not a new thing and it’s not a bad thing; it’s just a situation and shall soon pass.”
The University don who congratulated Muslims for witnessing this year’s Ramadan noted that the challenges facing the world are tests from Allah, saying, Muslims should be patient and prayerful.
“I want to therefore remind you of two things. It’s one of the things Allah has promised to test us with. So, it’s a test item. Allah said, ‘We will test you with something of fear, hunger, reduction in wealth, life and farm produce, give glad tidings to the patient; those who when are afflicted say from Allah we come, to Him we shall return.’ This affliction could have taken any of the five forms. So, be patient like Allah has guided us.
“Finally, I want you to stay safe. Go out only when it’s necessary. You miss out nothing. Pray in your houses. Turn this into Khalwah (seclusion). Turn this into virtual I’tikaaf, and then, join others in learning more about Islam,” he said.
Another important personality that featured in this video clip was Alhaji Kunle Sanni, who charged Muslims on the need to demonstrate kind gestures to fellow Muslims in the spirit of Ramadan.
Alhaji Kunle who is the Chairman, Oyo State Muslim Community advised people not depend on government alone, stressing that individuals have roles to play in saving their brothers from poverty during this situation.
In his words, “What I want us all to remember is the Hadith of the Prophet that says, You are not yet a Muslim until you want for others what you want for yourselves. It’s not good and is unwholesome to pound yam in our home without extending the gesture to our neighbors, except the sound of the pounding!
“Let us try and assist them by providing for them at this time when Muslims are fasting and many of them have nothing to eat. Don’t let us depend on government alone; let us try and save our brothers and sisters from poverty in this blessed month of Ramadan,’ he said.
Alhaji AbdurRazaq AbdusSalam, a Director of Public/Corperate Affairs, Voice of Nigeria (VON) tasked Muslims on building their homes spiritually in this Fast period under the lockdown, noting that it is an opportunity for family members to interact more.
The renowned author said, “This is a unique period in our history, and we should use all opportunities to benefit ourselves. The first thing is to use this lockdown period to turn our houses into a spiritual safe zone where we can discuss and increase ourselves in piety. This is a very important objective of Ramadan.
“Then, the next most important thing is for us to be able to bring our family members together. Now, compulsorily, we have all been brought home. The children, the mother, the father, we are all at home. This is an opportunity for us to interact, understand Islam together and then, understand ourselves better.
“This is also very important for the children to learn from their parents directly, and for them to eat together, break their fast together, do their sahur together, pray together so that the family can become better united,” Alhaji AbdurRazaq said.
On his part, Imam Nojeem Jimoh of Lighthouse, Lekki, Lagos, charged Muslim faithful to turn the threat in Coronavirus to opportunity, noting that such opportunity may not come again in our lifetime.
He said the period of the lockdown should be exploited to forge ahead in worship and amassing good deeds, emphasising that there is a hidden benefit in the trial facing the world.
“It may be the only time in our lifetime in which we get the opportunity to observe our Taraweeh in the exact way the Prophet did it – in the comfort of his home, to the exclusion of the Jama’at. Privately, brothers and sisters, do your Taraweeh between you and your Lord as you would have done if you were to go to the Masajid (mosque).”
Another popular Islamic scholar in Nigeria, Shaykh AbdurRahman Sulaiman Adangba cautioned Muslims to stick to precautionary measures while observing the holy month amid COVID-19 pandemic.
Adangba, who is the Imam of Adangba Central Mosque in Lagos advised, “We should all make sure we wash our hands with soap and water regularly, even before ablution. We should also try as much as possible to make use of our face masks whenever we go out or are in the midst of people.
“Let’s make sure we stay at home most of the times in order to be safe and save others from catching the virus,” he advised.
On his part, the Amir of The Muslim Congress (TMC), Dr Lukman AbdurRaheem encouraged fasting Muslims to use the benefit of the Ramadan period to supplicate to Allah to heal the world from the invisible enemy.
An Assistant Professor with American University of Nigeria (AUN) said, “This year’s Ramadan is particularly important because the world is facing COVID-19 pandemic. So, let us use this opportunity to pray fervently to Almighty Allah to heal the world of this pandemic so that the world will return to normalcy once again.
Sheikh Umar Dada Paiko, on his part, debunked ridiculous claims that Muslims are immune to Coronavirus because they perform ablution where they wash their hands and some other parts of the body.
He cautioned that the ablution water alone is not enough to kill biological germs, adding that Muslims should endeavor to wash their hands with water and soap.
“We must tell ourselves the truth. The water that we use for ablution is not enough to serve that purpose. It could even be a contaminated water sometimes. So, it’s very important that we use soap, and use sanitizers, as prescribed.
“We must realise that sanitising our hands with soap and sanitizers is different from mere ablution. Ablution as a form of purification and hygiene can help, but we must also add to it by going a step further to kill the virus through sanitizers. We can as well take great advantage of this Ramadan under the lockdown, and do a lot of things for ourselves. Do the hifdh (memorisation) of the Quran, reflection and meditation and get rewards,” he said.
▪︎ By Rasheed Abubakar and Abdul Ganiy Abdullah
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