Muslims in the largely agrarian community of Ago-Iwoye, in Nigeria’s South-west Ogun state, Friday joined their counterparts across Nigeria and beyond to celebrate the end of the Ramadan fasting as signified by the Eid-el-Fitr festival.
Dressed in colourful attires, they thronged the praying grounds in their thousan ds to give thanks to God for successfully observing the 30-day fasting.
‘Today is the day of joy, it is the day of thanksgiving to Allah,’ Alli Shittu, the chief Imam of the community, located some 150 kilometres from the commercial city of Lagos, told hundreds of worshippers at the open praying groun d that has served that purpose for more than five decades.
‘We have every cause to thank Allah, because by his grace, we are able to complete the 30-day fasting, just because of his grace, not because we are the most pious. This is why we must continue to remain dedicated to him and not go back to committing sins,’ the cleric added.
The cleric reminded Muslims that though they have completed the 30 days of fasting, they should also endeavor to fast for six days during this month of Shawaal, in line with the tradition of Prophet Muhammed, adding that great rewar ds await those who carry out the injunction.
While praying for the peace, progress and stability of the country ahead of the Jan. 2011 general elections, the cleric also enjoined the politicians not to engage in acts that can jeopardize the development of the country.
In his comments at the playing ground, the community’s monarch, Abdul Rasaq Aden ugba, urged all Muslims not to go back to whatever bad acts they had shunned during the fasting period.
‘My prayer is that we should continue to put into practice the various lessons we have had. We should live peacefully with one another, neighbours. For any nation or community to develop, there has to be love and peace,’ he told PANA at the praying ground.
Eid-el-Fitr signifies the end of the Ramadan fasting period which, according to Islamic scholars, could be 29 or 30 days.
This year’s celebration is being marked after the 30 days simultaneously across Nigeria because the moon was not sighted.