By: Nyima Sillah
As Muslim Ummah in the country is looking forward to the begin of Holy Month of Ramadan due this weekend, Lamin Ceesay a native of Nema has dilated on the importance of prayers in the month amid the Coronavirus pandemic.
In spite this year will be the first time that Muslim worldwide will observe the Holy Month of Ramadan in an inconvenient situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Mr Ceesay said everything happens with the will of Allah. Therefore, he said, there is need for everyone to still carry on the good deed in the month in term of giving out alms to the needy and engage in fervent prayers, too.
In regard to the stay home as part of the measures to avoid the spread or contact the virus, he said iftar can still hold in individual home with neighbour rather than taking it to the mosque for others.
Lamin Ceesay urged Muslims that always give out charity in the month of Ramadan to do so as stay at home or social distancing has nothing to do with giving out charity. “We have to support each other and have mercy on each other especially in hard time like this when so many families out there are suffering,” he advised.
For taraweeh prayers he said “everyone can pray at home with the family members as Allah accepts and rewards every good deed of His servants especially in the Holy Month of Ramadan.”
He again called on everyone to use the month of Ramadan as a great opportunity to make more duaas to Allah to cure the sick, grant us protection and bless us and strengthen our immune to fight the deadly virus.
Meanwhile, Oustas Jeng from Bakau urged Muslims to accept this hard time with good faith and observe the functions of Ramadan at home as he quoted from the holy Prophet that words that “Every part of my Ummah will turn to a Masjid.”
He went on that taraweeh prayers is a sunnah and everyone can perform it at home with their family even though jamaat prayers earn more reward “but due to the present situation, it’s good for people to observe isolation prayers.”
Alamin Jeng of Bakau also commented on the Ramadan and Covid-19. He advised everyone to observe their prayers this year in their home.