Coronavirus: Life has no duplicate, muslim group tell governors ordering re-opening of mosques for Eid prayers

The Alasalatu Society of Nigeria and West Africa (ASONWA) has called on Muslims to see their inability to perform Eid-el-firi celebration at praying ground as a necessary sacrifice to rid the country of the ravaging coronavirus.

Penpushing reports that Secretary-General of the Islamic body, Alhaji Kamaldeen Akintunde gave the advice in a statement, explaining that the appeal has become expedient in view of the clamour by some clergymen and religious leaders asking government to vacate the order to enable religious congregations to seek divine intervention against the pandemic.

‘With the increasing number of cases and concerted efforts by stakeholders at curtailing the deadly pandemic, the call for relaxation amounts to in-sensitiveness and will be counter-productive to the measurable progress on Covid 19 crisis’, Akintunde warned.

The Islamic leader pointed out that, following continued violation of the social and physical distancing regulation especially in public places by the people, it will be unwise for government to heed to the call to vacate the lockdown order

‘As citizens have continued to violate the social and physical distancing regulation, especially in public places, it will be unwise, unspeakable and unjustifiable for government to heed to the call on infertile sentiment’, he declared.

‘Moreso that the regulatory measure as prescribed by NCDC is not in tandem with Islamic mode of worship which emphasizes group or cluster interactions and a violation of its jurisprudence on observance of prayers’.

Penpushing further reports that, the Islamic group noted that the war against coronavirus should be a joint exercise by both the lead and the led, adding that the need for more endurance and understanding by the religious minded Nigerians cannot be over emphasised.

‘Muslims have therefore been enjoined to co-operate  with government, while also complying with the directive of the Muslim leadership as no responsible and responsive government would want to deliberately subject its citizens to hardship or discomfort’.

The Muslim leader enjoined the faithful to take responsibility for their health by staying indoors and celebrate the “Sallah” in their respective homes and also counseled them against visitation and to amusement park, as a step to check community transmission of the virus.

Penpushing reports that, Akintunde emphaised that, coronavirus pandemic demands being sensible and prayerful indoor than being religious and prayerful outwardly and warned that, ’as our worship centres are ever populated, the chances of the wildfire spread like virus among the worshippers should not be ignored, hence the need for the Excellencies to shun ethno-religious and cultural sentiments and pressure as life has no duplicate’..