• Attempt to compromise Islamic identity will not be tolerated: NASFAT
• Muslims have no cause to imitate other religions, says Ansar-Ud-Deen
Two of the leading Islamic organisations with branches across the world, Nasrul-lahi-li Fathi Society of Nigeria, NASFAT and Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria have warned their missioners against holding crossover tahajjud (vigil) or any other special religious activities to mark the end of the outgoing year 2022 or beginning of the new year, 2023.
Muslim News findings revealed that it is a common practice in Nigeria for most Christians and some Muslim bodies to organise special prayers on the night of December 31st to herald January 1st.
The two societies in two separate releases declared any of such gatherings unlawful and therefore advised all its missioners from national to zonal levels not to stage any prayer on Saturday night, December 31st to welcome January 1st.
NASFAT, who initiated the move in 2019 under the new Chief Missioner, Sheikh Maruf Onike, issued another memo, on Tuesday, December 27, 2022, warning all missioners worldwide not to perform the cross-over Tahajjud, which is becoming a norm among some sections of Muslims.
According to a statement by NASFAT signed by Mallam Abdul-Ganiyy Raji, National Da’wah Officer/Mission Board Secretary, “Missioners who violate this order, by holding December 31st/January Tahajjud 1st or any Cross-over programme in their branches or groups will be subjected to stringent punitive measures.”
Two of the leading Islamic groups with branches across the world, #NASFAT and #AnsarUdDeen have warned their missioners, members against holding crossover #tahajjud (vigil) or any special religious activities to mark end of the outgoing #Year2022 or beginning of the #NewYear2023. pic.twitter.com/BMWkwdMy4d
— Muslim News Nigeria (@muslimnews_NG) December 30, 2022
The Board Secretary said such programmes are banned while urging missioners to “educate their members that holding special prayers or Tahajjud to mark the end or beginning of the year has no place in our religion.
“True Muslims do not need to wait for the year to end or start before asking Allah for His mercy, protection and blessings. True Muslims are in touch with Allah at all times,” he added.
“We are a Muslim Society. Therefore, we must at all times keep strictly to our Islamic identity. Any attempt to compromise our Islamic identity or portray us as a society imitating non-Muslims, by any member of the Mission Board will be met with serious consequences. We will be in touch with our informants across branches and groups to obtain information on possible breaches of this order.”
In its statement issued by the National Council of Missioners, Ansar-Ud-Deen said holding tahajjud on 31st December/January 1st to mark the new year is illicit innovation.
“Islam is a complete way of life. The Holy Book of Islam, the noble Qur’an contains detailed knowledge about our mundane and religious affairs. Thus Muslims have no cause or reasons to imitate the culture or practice of any other religion,” the statement signed by Dr Imam Bashir A. Olanrewaju, Secretary to the Council said, quoting copiously from the Quran and Sunnah.
It added: “Tahajjud is keeping night vigil engaging in a more spiritual exercise. It is one of the acts of worship in Islam. In fact, tahajjud is not even a Sunnah act but a command of Allah. The Almighty Allah enjoined the Prophet Muhammad to observe tahajjud every night as contained in the Holy Qur’an: ‘And from the part of the night pray with it (i.e recitation of the Qur’an) as additional (worship) for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station “. (Al-Israi, Ch 17 v. 79).’
“With this little submission on the subject matter, I have the mandate of the highest religious body of the society to urge all our members and Missioners worldwide to henceforth desist from observing tahajjud in congregations on the night of the eve of the new year in our mosques.”
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