Hijrah: Islamic scholar calls for work-free day
An Islamic scholar, Malam Aliyu Abdulsalam, has urged the federal government to declare the first day of the first month (Muharram) in the Hijrah Islamic year as a work-free day.
He made the call in Abuja in a lecture on the ``Significance of Hijrah in Islam,'' at the monthly meeting of the Abuja chapter of the Muslim Media Pratictioners of Nigeria (MMPN).
Abdulsalam said the holiday would give Muslims the opportunity of devoting more time in celebrating the Hijrah year in line with the Islamic tenets.
He traced the historical background of Hijrah, which he said, commenced in 622 AD with the persecution and migration of Prophet Muhammad from Makkah to Medina.
He urged Muslims to learn to persevere in the face of difficulties and persecution.
Abdulsalam explained that Hijrah was the ``movement from evil ways to good deeds,'' and urged Muslims to shun their indecent ways and embrace pious lifestyles to make positive impact on the larger society.
On how best to celebrate the new Islamic year, he listed fasting, prayers, charity and recitation of some portions of the Holy Qur'an as some of the ways the new year could be ushered in.
``The Prophet enjoined us to fast on Muharram 1, 9 and 10, as prayers said during those period would be answered by Almighty Allah,'' he advised.
Quoting from Qur'an and Hadith, the Islamic scholar also recommended the recitation of ``Bismillah Rahmani Raheem,'' meaning ``in the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful'' on the first day of new Islamic year.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the coordinator of MMPN, Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said the choice of the topic was to create awareness for the new Islamic year, Hijrah 1428, which starts on January, 19.
He also reiterated the call for a work-free day for Muslims on the first day of the Islamic calendar.
Balogun said such gesture from the government, if made, would be in the spirit of fairness and justice in the country.
The meeting was attended by members from media organisations including the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), FRCN, New Nigeria, Punch, Daily Trust, NTA, Vanguard, The Nation and VON.