Happy Sallah
Today is being celebrated by Muslims in Nigeria as Eid el Fitr, marking the end of the month-long Ramadan fast. Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad, who is also President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs [NSCIA] announced the sighting last night of the new moon of Shawwal. We congratulate all Muslims […]
Today is being celebrated by Muslims in Nigeria as Eid el Fitr, marking the end of the month-long Ramadan fast. Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad, who is also President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs [NSCIA] announced the sighting last night of the new moon of Shawwal. We congratulate all Muslims and all Nigerians on the occasion of Eid el-Fitr.
Sallah Day, as it is otherwise called, will be marked this morning with Muslim family heads paying the Zakat al-Fitr, which is charity in the form of food. This will be followed by congregational prayers which are said in mosques or in open spaces. Imams will deliver soul-searching sermons on the most pressing issues of the day, followed by the short Eid prayers. Afterwards, prayers will also be offered for the peace, security and prosperity of the country as well as for Allah to guide and lead the country’s leaders. Feasting, merry making, sharing of meals and visits to relatives and friends then follow to herald the end of the 29-day fasting period.
While a feast is called for after the month-long fast, we counsel that it should be done with moderation, not with waste or ostentation. It is well to remember that many families can hardly afford to feast due to the harsh economic situation caused by a recession which is only just subsiding. The sharing of food with indigent families is therefore another mark of the Eid which alleviates suffering and helps to bind the community together.
Traders often use increased demand for foodstuff and other essentials during the Ramadan and Eid to hike prices. This is unconscionable as it amounts to profiteering at the expense of fellow citizens who are conducting a rigorous act of worship. We also urge Muslims celebrating the Eid to do so with care. Overzealous acts such as acrobatics, rough riding of horses, bicycles, motorcycles and cars could easily lead to injuries and deaths and could cause grief and suffering to other families. These must be avoided and the police are there to ensure that celebration is done responsibly.
Through the feasting and celebration too, we must never lose sight of the essence of Ramadan, which teaches the faithful the true meaning of perseverance and tolerance especially towards the poor and needy. The Holy Qur’an teaches that Allah answers and accepts the prayers and worship of his creatures performed during the holy month of Ramadan by forgiving their sins and granting them whatever they ask for in the Eid congregation for the Hereafter and their worldly needs.
Eid el Fitr is an occasion to eschew pettiness, friction and bitterness. It is an occasion to embrace one another with hearts free from malice and rancour in accordance with the Islamic teaching of universal brotherhood of mankind. On this occasion we also urge the faithful to remember in their prayers and thoughts our countrymen and women who are in distress due to the many types of insecurity that afflict our society. From internally displaced persons [IDPs] who are languishing in camps due to insurgency to victims of farmers/herders’ clashes, intercommunal fighting as well as victims of kidnapping and robbery, they are all in need for prayers and help in order to rebuild their lives.
Our country also faces the big challenge of the upcoming general and presidential elections scheduled for early next year. The tempo of politics is expected to pick up very soon with party primaries and campaigns leading up to the elections. As they jostle for power, we urge our politicians to shun evils such as sorcery, human sacrifices and use of political thugs. Having just fasted and prayed to Allah to bless our country, we should not now return to our evil ways in the fight for worldly gains lest the Almighty withhold his blessings and visit us with curses in the form of insecurity, economic recession and social malaise. We wish all Muslims and all Nigerians a happy Eid el Fitr.