A cleric in Dutse, Jigawa State, Imam Baba Waziri, on Sunday focused his Eid-el-Fitri sermon on indecent dressing among Muslim women, especially those working in public places.
Waziri also encouraged all Muslims to comply with social distancing in prayer in line with the government advice and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control’s guidelines in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
The Imam, who led the Eid prayer at the Tatur Adua in the Commercial Secondary School, Tatur side in Dutse, cautioned Muslim women to fear God and His chastisement against violating the commandments.
Waziri said Islam is a complete way of life and doesn’t support women, irrespective of their status, to dress indecently.
He said that Islam encourages women to always wear Hijab that would cover the whole body, noting that women’s body is not meant for the public show but for their spouses.
On social distances in prayer, the Imam said it was Islamic that those who are infected by any infectious diseases are not allowed to mix with others in prayers, whether in the Mosque or any other social gathering place.
He also called on Nigerians to avoid spreading fake news capable of causing civil unrest in the society on social media.
Instead of spreading fake news, he urged people to engage in prayers for the wellbeing of the country and to overcome the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic.
The Imam said every Muslim was duty bound to comply with the government regulations in the fight against the novel coronavirus disease.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that early morning rainfall, however, prevented the Chief Imam of Dutse, Dr Abubakar Sani, from leading the prayer at the state Eid praying ground.
The Imam, instead led the prayer inside the Central Mosque with the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Umar Namadi, and other residents in attendance.
In his sermon, Sani urged Muslims to comply with the government guidelines in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
The Imam appealed to Nigerians to pray for country to get out of the pandemic.
NAN reports that the state government had directed all Muslim residents to observe their Eid prayer in their respective localities as against the traditional congregational Eid praying grounds across the state.
Muslims in Duste had complied with the government directives in observing the Eid prayers in their various localities.
Majority of the faithful were seen wearing face masks as instructed by the government while at the praying ground.