Ramadan: Pray at home, Mufti tells Muslims
Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadan Mubajje addressing journalists at Uganda Muslim Supreme Council on April 23, 2020. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- Government last month banned all gatherings of more than five people, including prayers across the country as one of the measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 disease caused by coronavirus.
The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council yesterday warned Muslims slated to start fasting either today or tomorrow against congregating in order to avoid the spread of coronavirus.
Government last month banned all gatherings of more than five people, including prayers across the country as one of the measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 disease caused by coronavirus.
Addressing journalists at Old Kampala Mosque yesterday, the Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadan Mubajje, said there are some do’s and don’ts that the Muslim community must observe during the fasting period in order not to flout the anti-Covid-19 guidelines.
“Our Ramadan is not going to be business as usual due to this pandemic. You all know the measures that have been put in place by both President Museveni and the Ministry of Health. I, thus, urge you to observe all those measures while fasting, most especially the social distancing measure,” Sheikh Mubajje said.
He said fasting would start either today or tomorrow, depending on when the moon will be sighted.
According to him, there will be no breaking of the fast in mosques as had been the custom before the pandemic.
Before the pandemic, Muslims would usually converge at different mosques every evening after breaking the fast and eat together.
He also said there will be no Taraweh prayers, where Muslims would converge at different mosques after breaking the fast to pray.
Meanwhile, the cleric said the Taraweh prayers can be conducted from home between two and 10 people, but they should observe social distancing. He also asked the government to help poor Muslims who are going to fast with food relief.
The mufti further asked government to allow all individuals who would wish to give a hand to Muslim communities to donate directly to them and allow those who want to deliver packages to them to do so freely.
Currently, it is only government that has the mandate to distribute relief food to those Ugandans who cannot feed themselves.
However, Sheikh Mubajje said the fasting period should be handled as a special case.
He, however, asked the government to reconsider its decision of distributing food only in Kampala and Wakiso and also distribute to villages where a number of people are starving.
