Date: 2020-08-22

The Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Friday congratulated the Muslim community on the dawn of a new Islamic (calendar) year 1442 AH. He prayed to God to let the year bring ease and an end to the siege imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), the apex umbrella body for Muslims in the country, has declared Friday August 21st the first day of Muharram 1442 AH - a commemoration of the official migration of Prophet Muhammad and the nascent Muslim community from Makkah to Madinah. The Governor in a message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye felicitates with the entire Muslim ummah on the dawn of another Hijrah Year. According to him, the Hijra calls for thanksgiving and sober reflection stressing that the Hijrah represents and teaches many things to the world: a certainty that ease always comes after every hardship, a need for patience in time of hardship, and a religious obligation for every believer to always strive to be a better version of themselves.

"As we commemorate another Hijrah Year amid a pandemic, it is important for everyone to bear in mind that this hardship would not last forever. Humanity will win.

"However, everybody is urged to be patient and cooperative with the governments on various measures put in place to flatten the curve of transmission. "The Governor prays Allah to bring ease to our world, heal those who are down with the virus, and comfort every family that has lost their loved ones to the disease."

In a related message, the Speaker, Kwara state House of Assembly, Engineer Yakubu Danladi Salihu admonished Muslims and other Nigerians to seek Allah's forgiveness and rededicate themselves towards living pious lives to enable them achieve the purpose of their creation.

The Speaker's message is contained is a congratulatory message in commemoration of the New Hijrah – Islamic year 1442AH, issued through his Special Assistant, Media, Ibrahim Sheriff.

Danladi-Salihu noted that "the new Hijrah afforded us all another opportunity to retrace our steps, take flight from unholiness and seek refuge in Allah against tribulations of this world.

"We must not only celebrate Hijrah, but live by the lessons. We must migrate from evil and navigate our paths to piety, for us to achieve divine global peace, tranquility and development", he added.

"On behalf of the 9th Kwara state House of Assembly, I congratulate Muslim Ummah on the new Hijrah 1442AH, it is my wish and prayer that Allah make it a blessed one, characterized by peace and posterity for the world," the statement added.