COVID-19: NASFAT urges Nigerians on prevention, stigma

The Nasirul-Lahi-Li-Fatih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT), Abuja Zone, has urged Nigerians to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus by adhering to Prophet Muhammad advises on pandemic and other government protocols.

The society made the plea on Saturday in Abuja at this year’s Special Ramadan Lecture, with the theme: “The Roles and Obligations of Muslims in Pandemic Era”.

The Chairman, FCT Zone of the organisation, Dr. Nasir Olaitan Raji-Mustapha, said that the citizen’s experiences with the deadly virus shows that the disease is so simple and delicate such that it frightens presidents of nations and the citizenry.

“This is a disease that that has clearly showed the weakness, fragility and temporariness of man on earth. However, as Muslims, we are guided by Qur’an 94:6 that ‘…With every difficulty there is a relief’,” Raji-Mustapha said while praying that Allah save humanity from the virus and other calamities.

Delivering the theme of the annual event, Dr. Ridwan Ibrahim Olagunju of the Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin, noted that from antiquity, mankind has never been free nor immune from experiencing upheavals and afflictions as being currently witnessed in the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also urged everyone to adhere strictly to the Islamic principle in dealing with outbreak and diseases such that those infected do not spread the disease and those not infected should avoid contracting the disease or other diseases.

“There is also an obligation on all to take an inherent lesson on outbreak of pandemics. These destructive diseases are part of the warriors of Allah which He may cause to descend on people as earthly punishment for tyranny, oppression and other forms of sins,” Olagunju said.

Also, Chief Imam FCT and Missioner, NASFAT, FCT Zone, Imam Sharafuden Abdulsalam Aliagan, urged Nigerians to observed all the Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) to protect themselves from contracting the COVID-19 and thus prevent further deaths.