ALL PROGRESSIVE CONGRESS
OYO STATE CHAPTER
PRESS RELEASE:RAMADAN GREETINGS (2020/1441AH) TO OUR MUSLIM COMMUNITY
“O ye who believe, Fasting is ordained for you, as it was ordained for those before you, so that you might remain conscious of Allah” Q2:183.
Prophet Muhammad(pboh) in announcing RAMADAN would always say “O people, the month of Ramadan, the Great, Sacred month has come with its mercies, blessings and forgiveness because Almighty Allah has decreed Ramadan as the Best of all months.
This is the month you have been invited to Fast and Pray, where your good deeds are instantaneously accepted while your invocations are answered.
Indeed, miserable is the one who is deprived of Allah’s forgiveness in this great and sacred month of Ramadan because while you are Fasting, give Alms to the poor and the Needies, you pay respect to the Elderly, have sympathy for the youngsters, kind towards your relatives and kinsmen, guard your tongue against unworthy words and your eyes from forbidden scenes and your ears from unworthy sounds.
Al Quran 51:55 insisted thus “Keep reminding,because reminding benefits the Believers”
Other responsibilities of believers during Ramadan is that the best of deeds is to be far from what Almighty Allah has forbidden.
Whoever observe all Allah’s obligations including all recommended Prayers, Recitations from Al-Quran, arrange IFTAR(sunset meals) and or perhaps SAHUR(pre-dawn meals) for the less privileged and cultivate good manners, Almighty Allah will make such person walk over SIRAT(Bridge to Paradise) easily on the day when feet will tend to slip.
Furthermore, anyone who offers recommended Prayers, respect and treat orphan and kinsmen with kindness and other good obligations during this sacred month of Ramadan, his reward will be seventy times the reward of other months and Allah will show him mercy.
In addition, in view of the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, our Muslim Brothers and Sisters are advised to remember social distancing by avoiding mass gathering in order to prevent community transmission of the Corona Virus in our Taraweeh, Tafsir and other observations.
Where skeletal programs may likely hold, mitigation measures must be put in place like holding the event outdoor, ensuring adequate ventilation, provision of handwashing materials with soap.
The premises of the mosque or other places must be regularly and thoroughly sanitised.
Where possible, shortening the length of the event is recommended.
Also, Elderly people and people with existing medical challenges should be discouraged from mass gathering.
COVID-19 positive persons should avoid Fasting altogether as they would do with any other health problems.
In view of the law against congregational actions and physical mass gathering for Tafsir and other programs, on-line, Radio and Television options should be explored to restrict avoidable mingling to curtail the spread of this COVID-19 Pandemic.
Finally, people are urged to eat varieties of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in their daily meals and to also drink plenty of water to avoid hydration.
On behalf of all APC members in Oyo State, we wish our Muslims Brethren, RAMADAN MUBARAK.
Signed
AbdulAzeez Olatunde
Publicity Secretary
APC OYO STATE
24th April 2020
1st RAMADAN 1441AH
