Ibrahim Muhammad
2 October 2008
Yola — Some Islamic groups yesterday observed their Eid el Fitr in Yola, Adamawa state. The group led by one Sheikh Abdullahi Umar observed the Eid el Fitri prayers at the temporary hajj camp,Jambutu in the state capital.
As early as nine o'clock in the morning, they converged at the camp for prayers to mark their Eid el Fitri. Sheikh Abdullahi Umar was on hand to conduct the two raka'at prayers. He thanked God for enabling a successful completion of the Ramadan which he said was a time when intensive devotion and purity were required. He told his followers that the import of the month long religious obligation of self denial and forbearance had huge significance for the individual and the society at large.
He stressed the need for Nigerians to learn to live in peace with one another, saying that was no compulsion in religion.
In the sermon he delivered to the mammoth crowd, the scholar pointed out that there could be division and different schools of thought but that should not bring disunity among Muslims. He advised the faithful not to engage in sinful acts as Ramadan is over and charged them to obey constituted authorities.
The scholar told Daily Trust; "we are not going contrary to the teaching of Islam. It has been reported in several hadiths that we shall fast or end the fast on sighting the month of Ramadan or shawwal by trustworthy persons. We are not saying those who observe the eid el fitr earlier than us are wrong, but everybody is entitled to his own opinion and understanding. Knowledge is just an ocean and nobody has monopoly of it. And we should stop castigating one another in the name of preaching."
Commenting, a Yola based scholar, Mallam Mu'azu Gombe expressed concern that this year, the festival was observed on three different days in Nigeria and hoped that the ongoing efforts by NSCIA would yield the much desired result.
Mu'azu Gombe who is the coordinator of Ahlul-Bayt Muslim Community in Yola stated that it was unacceptable that the adherents of the Islamic faith which places strong premium on unity of belief and worship should continue to observe Eid-el-Fitr on different days within the same geographical zone and political territory called Nigeria . He added that the disparity in the days of the observance showed a lack of unity among Muslims in the country. He said, "It is for this reason that we lament the lack of unity among the Nigerian Muslims, which continues to manifest itself in the disparity in the observance of Islamic festivals, especially the Eid-el-fitri. No fewer than 2000 faithful observed the prayer yesterday.
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