Dr Idiat Adebule, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, has urged Muslims to use the holy month of Ramadan in praying for an end to the coronavirus pandemic.
Adebule said this in a message to felicitate with the Muslim world on the holy month of Ramadan.
According to her, Ramadan is a period during which God accepts prayers and also a time for spiritual reflection, rebirth, sacrifice and kindness as well as increased devotion and worship.
She said the month of Ramadan provided a unique opportunity for Muslims to support the global effort to end the COVID-19 pandemic with fervent prayers to Allah for mercy.
She particularly called on all Muslims to see the occurrence of the coronavirus pandemic and its momentary global impact as a warning from Allah that humanity needs Him for its existence and sustenance.
“It shows that our human might and power cannot withstand the weakest of Allah’s trials,’’ Adebule said.
She, therefore, advised Muslims to be more God-conscious, even though movement and congregation were advisedly restricted at this time.
“We must continue, individually and as a nuclear family, to observe our five daily prayers, the Taraweeh prayer, increased recitation of the Qur’an, supplications and remembrance of Allah.
“We should also shun sinful and inappropriate actions that could aggravate the already bad situation.
“Ramadan is a period to show more kindness to fellow humans no matter their religion, race or gender,’’ she said.
Adebule also reminded Muslims to observe all precautions against the spread of the coronavirus as advised by the government and health experts.
“The prescription of physical distancing, use of face mask when going out and especially washing of hands and covering our mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing should not be strange or difficult for Muslims.
“These have been prescribed more than 1400 years ago by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him),’’ Adebule said.
She commended the frontline workers in the health sector for their dedication and bravery “in putting their lives on the line for the rest of us to have our own lives’’.
She prayed to Allah to protect them and their families.
She also commended the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 for their daily briefings and efforts in the management of the pandemic.
The PTF briefings, she said, have kept Nigerians and the international community up-to-date on the actions of the government in mitigating the impact of this global health challenge in Nigeria.
The former deputy governor hailed Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his team for being proactive and decisive actions in containing the dreaded virus.
She praised the governor for boosting the morale of the health workers by increasing their allowances.
This, she said, was an important step taken by the governor in fighting the virus on behalf of the people of Lagos.
She urged Lagosians to, therefore, support the governor with prayers and adhere strictly to the government’s instructions on how to manage the COVID-19 scourge. (NAN)
