Sokoto—Ahead of Eid-el-Fitr celebration, the Sultan of Sokoto-led Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, has directed Muslims in Nigeria to pray at home with their families on Sallah day, as the eid prayer congregation remained suspended, due to the rampaging and highly contagious coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic.
Secretary–General of JNI, Dr. Khalid Aliyu, said, in a statement, yesterday, that the directive was a mandate to the JNI Fatwa Committee, under the leadership of Sheikh Sheriff Ibrahim Saleh Alhusainy, which came up with FATWA regarding the Year 2020 Eid-el-Fitr prayers.
He said the committee after due consultations, as well as considerations of the current state of COVID-19 pandemic and the serious threat it posed to life, decided that the Eid-el-Fitr congregation in the outskirts of towns and cities should be temporarily suspended.
Also, “the said ‘Eid-el-Fitr prayer be observed at home with family members or alone in case there isn’t anyone with him or her, at home.’
Other decisions taken were that “the ‘Eid-el-Fitr Prayers is two (2) RAKA’AT. Seven (7) TAKBIRAT to be pronounced in the first RAKA’AT, including the opening TAKBIR. Then SURATUL FATIHA is read and any other SURAH, preferably SURATUL A’ALA. While in the second RAKAH, five (5) TAKBIRAT be pronounced. Then SURATUL FATIHA is read and any other SURAH, preferably SURATUL GHASHIYAH.
“In the case of praying at home, as it may be, the KHUTBAH (sermon) is suspended. All above mentioned are based on the Hadith of Anas Bn Malik in Sahih al-Bukhari and Maliki School of law decisions, in MUKHTASAR, as explained by Al-Kharshi and Al-Munah al-Jalil.”
“However, in states where Governments have reached concrete decisions to observe the ‘Eid-el-Fitr prayer, based on their medical experts advice, strict measures of distancing, face masks and sanitizers be taken to protect worshipers. In this case neighborhood mosques can be utilized if it becomes necessary.
“Ulama should fear Allah, the Most High and be matured enough in guarding their utterances and actions for the overall interest of the DEEN and the Ummah.”