Celebrate Salah at home, Islamic leader tells Rivers Muslims

By Brave Dickson

As Muslims across the globe commemorate this year’s Eid-El-Fitri to mark the end of their Ramadan fast, Muslims in Rivers State have been urged to celebrate it at home.

The call came as a reminder to Muslims that the restrictive measures on religious activities by Governor Nyesom Wike to halt the spread of COVID-19 are still in force.

In his Salah message, which he made a copy available to our correspondent, the state Islamic Leader and Vice President-General, Rivers State Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Nasir Awhelebe Uhor also berated those doubting the existence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said: “I am using this medium to remind all Muslims that the state government’s suspension of crowded activities is still in force.

“Therefore, the best place to celebrate this year’s Eid-El-Fitri is at home.

“I want to fault all those that Allah has shielded from COVID-19 but turned around to deceive others by saying that the pandemic is a farce.

“I urge Muslim faithful and all other residents to ignore those critics and intensify their observance of all anti COVID-19 measures put in place by the state and federal governments.”

Alhaji Uhor also enjoined Muslims to pray Allah to wipe out the COVID-19 pandemic from the land, while urging them to use the celebration to help the needy, the sick, the wayfarers among others in their midst.

He further advised Muslims to keep abstaining from those sinful practices they shunned during the Ramadan fast, assuring them that that is the only way they can maximise Allah’s blessings.