The fear of coronavirus has delayed many Muslims who wish to walk down the aisle. However, for some others, the COVID-19 pandemic is not going to be a stumbling block towards beginning their marital journey. In this series, RASHEED ABUBAKAR AND ABDULLAHI ABDULGANIY share the stories of beautiful and ideal Nikaah ceremonies despite the pandemic.
For a young, energetic Abdullah Kaamil, getting married has always been one of the thoughts going through his mind having completed his tertiary education and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. His zeal to get married began to rise seeing many of his contemporaries in their marital homes.
However, he had to exercise some modicum of patience in order to get a decent job to prepare himself for the responsibilities that come with family life. After a long while, the moment finally came. Like the saying goes, The patient dog gets the fattest bone, Abdullah got a very beautiful bethroted in Ms. Roufah Alaba Lawal.
As days became nights and nights transformed to days, Abdullah and Roufah’s love story gradually took a stunning dimension, with both finally reaching an agreement to come together as one. This led to the organisation of familiarization, and later introduction, a common cultural practice in Nigeria that serves as a prelude to the Nikaah (solemnization of matrimony).
Top family members from the two sides were brought together on Sunday, December 15, 2019 at the bride’s father’s home in Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State, to be better acquainted and a mutual agreement reached on the wedding date.
“It’s official! My nikkah is coming up on Saturday, April 11, 2020. Keep the date!,” the elated Abdullah, who teaches Literature-in-English cum Islamic Studies at a private school, in Ikorodu area of Lagos, posted on his WhatsApp status, after the two families unanimously agreed on the date.
Abdullah’s eagerness knew no bounds, understanding that his dream was about to come to fruition. A joyous Abdullah had made a number of preparations to perfect the beauty of the day, without knowing that the novel Coronavirus pandemic was about to shake the world.
The Coronavirus originated in Wuhan, China few days after Abdullah’s introduction (precisely December 31, 2019). Also known as COVID-19, it has spread to more than 100 countries in the world, causing infections, infirmities and fatalities. Experts say that it is a respiratory disease that spreads through organs like the mouth, nose and eyes.
When this deadly virus was making the rounds in China, many people across the world believed it was a China affair and never thought it would grow out of hand. In fact, as at the time Abdullah and Roufah were planning for their wedding celebration, Nigerians only heard of the “killer disease” through the media.
Coronavirus quickly spread like wildfire across continents. From Asia to Europe to Africa to the Americas. Nigeria also joined the league as she recorded her index case in Lagos on February 25, 2020 through an Italian who arrived in Nigeria from Milan, Italy for a brief business dealing.
Abdullah told Muslim News he was unperturbed as there was little concern from many Nigerians. He was among those who believed that COVID-19 will be swiftly curtailed by the Lagos State government led by Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, similar to the aggressive countermeasures the country took against the Ebola virus outbreak in 2014.
Things however turned around as more cases were increasingly being recorded across the country. By March, Lagos, which has an estimated population of 21 million residents shutdown schools and banned religious and social gatherings of more than 50 people.
Like many young and prospective couples, Abdullah was still optimistic that the much awaited and most anticipated Nikaah would hold irrespective of the attendance.
Reality however dawned on him as Lagos and Ogun states, as well as the FCT, Abuja, became badly hit with the infection, leading to a presidential order of lockdown on the states and outright ban on social gatherings among other measures aimed at stemming the spread of the disease.
Abdullah’s dream of hosting family and friends to a colourful nikaah had been shattered by Coronavirus.
He said, “When it occurred to us that the wedding would no longer take place as scheduled due to the pandemic, we felt very bad, saying that a lot of planning had gone into it and now the wedding ceremony would have to be postponed.”
In his own reaction, the groom said:
“At first, I refused to accept the indefinite postponement due to the virus. I imagined what my fiance would be going through and I called to check on her. She sounded fine on the phone but I knew deep down she was feeling bad. A lot of people called to sympathise with me.
“In fact, some of my friends called to play pranks on me asking for the direction, saying they were about to leave home. At first, I fell for it asking if they didn’t see the broadcast message I sent informing people about the postponement of the Nikaah and then they went into a feast of laughter. That was when I realised I’ve been pranked. At a point I got tired of people sympathising with me,” he said
Both the bride and the groom became worried as they were already losing their patience. They began looking for ways to get the wedding ceremony done at all cost amid the Coronavirus lockdown order.
According to him,
“The next thing I was thinking of is how can we manage to have the Nikkah done despite the lockdown because it is easier to wait for 30 years knowing you’re not ready to get married than to wait an extra day after your Nikkah date has been fixed.
“Then I heard news of people who were equally affected by the lockdown having their nikaah and weddings done lowkey. I even saw pictures and videos; that’s when I realised we can do the Nikaah lowkey but another issue is the distance. It would have been easier if we were in the same State because moving from Ikorodu, Lagos State to Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State posed the greatest challenge.
“For that reason, I was following the government’s directives on lockdown keenly to see if there’ll be any window of opportunity to travel and have the Nikaah done before Ramadan.
“So, when President Buhari gave his second address, informing about the extension of the lockdown by another two weeks, I felt sad. I was like ‘why are these people so insensitive’, and then i got an inspiration that I was being self-centered and then I just said “Astagfirullah” and prayed Allah opened a window of opportunity for us to have the Nikkah done.”
Abdullah and Roufah’s prayers were finally answered when Mr President relaxed the lockdown in the three States on Monday, May 4 to a night curfew which started between 8pm to 6am.
Muslim News learnt that the couple took advantage of the relaxation and staged a modest, lowkey Nikaah at the bride’s parents living room in Ijebu-Igbo on Wednesday, May 6, while observing all the necessary precautions in preventing the potential spread of COVID-19 as stipulated by the medical professionals.
“When the President gave the third address and informed about easing the lockdown, I felt glad and reached out to my family about the possibility of having the Nikaah done in the month of Ramadan. The arrangements were quickly made and Alhamdulillah, we had a lowkey Nikaah on Wednesday, May 4, 2020 equivalent to Day 13 of Ramadan, 1441 AH,” the beautiful bride noted.
Providing an insight into how the wedding ceremony was conducted, Abdullah told Muslim News that only few people attended in order to adhere to the COVID-19 preventive regulations.
He said, “Only my mom, one of my siblings, an uncle who stood in as groom’s father and I were in attendance on the groom’s entourage. My father-in-law, his wife, two other relatives and my wife were in attendance from the bride’s side.
“The Muslim Students’ body in Ijebu had two people in attendance , and then the officiating Imam and the anchor which brought the total number of attendees to 13. With this, the social distancing directive was followed and everyone wore their facemasks.
“As it is with every reality, the low-key wedding organised was not without its numerous advantages. Despite the hindrances, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the bride and the groom.
“The advantages are numerous. There was less stress in planning and implementation; we had fewer logistical arrangements and challenges. You don’t have to worry much about the welfare of the guests and invitees and so on. The only thing is that it’s not easy to transition from planning to have a big wedding to having a wedding within the confines of a living room. A Hall had hitherto been secured and some other funds have been expended that are non-refundable. Aside those, no disadvantages,” Abdullah, who now lives with his wife in Lagos, added.
.▪︎ By Rasheed Abubakar and Abdulganiy Abdullah
Barakallahu feeh to them
BaarakaLlahu fii wishing the two happy married life.
May Allah barakalize yr unions
And to my noble nd adorable padi, iya adini, I pray that Allah give you knowledge, wisdom nd understanding on how to build your home in a LOVELY nd Allah ways
Aamiin