Rain disrupts Eid prayers, celebrations in Lagos

Continuous rainfall on Saturday disrupted Eid prayers and Sallah celebrations in Lagos State as the downpour forced the majority of Muslims across the state to stay indoors and miss the Eid al-Adha prayers.

Eid al-Adha is the second and biggest of the two main holidays celebrated in Islam. It honors the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail as an act of obedience to Allah’s command.

Eid prayers, also referred to as Salat al-Eid, are holy holiday prayers in the Islamic tradition.

The literal translation of the word “Eid” in Arabic is “festival” or “feast” and is a time when Muslims congregate with family and the larger Muslim community to celebrate.

With the rain, the majority of Muslims stayed back at home while those who observed prayers, which normally are held annually at an open field or space, were held in mosques in the Ikeja area of the state.

Also the fanfare that usually accompanies the Eid celebrations were missing as the rain prevented Muslims from open cooking, killing of rams and other activities associated with the festival.

Our correspondent gathered that the Muslim communities in Berger, Ogba, Ikeja, Alausa, Maryland, Fadeyi, Ilupeju and Yaba are of the state were forced to pray in their separate community mosques due to the downpour which started in the early hours of Saturday.

Those who observe the Eid prayer at Ogba Oluwole Central Mosque told our correspondent that they had to pray in the mosque due to the rain.

“We had to abandon the open space and resort to the mosque because of the rain. The prayer even started by 9:30 am because people were also delayed by the rain before getting here,” one of the congregants told our correspondent.

Meanwhile, some Muslims faithful in the Epe area of the state claimed that they were able to observe the Eid prayers in an open space around 10 am. It was, however, gathered that the rain started in the area.

A source in who observe the Eid prayers at Jamahtul Islamiyat, Epe, in Alaka street, Epe, said the Muslim community troop out en mass to perform the Islamic rites.

She said, “There was no rainfall in this area and people came out to pray in our communities. However, the rain started around 12pm after we all got back home to begin the cooking for the Sallah celebrations.”

When contacted on the significance of the rain on Eid day, the Imam, Alausa Secretariat Community Central Mosque, Imam Gafar, said the downpour was a blessing from the Almighty.

“It (rain) is a blessing from God and the Muslim ummah (community) should be happy about it and not downcast,” he told our correspondent.

On those who missed the Eid prayer, he said they are permitted in Islam to pray theirs at home with their family, adding, however, that they are not permitted to recite the “khutbah” (sermon or command).

“In the case where the rain prevented the whole community from observing the Eid prayers, they are permitted to pray the next day. But if the community Imam led the Eid prayer in the mosque, those who missed it are allowed to pray at home without the sermon,” he said.

The eid al-adha (feast of sacrifice) marks the end or culmination of the Hajj or Pilgrimage of Muslims around the world to the Holy City of Mecca, in Saudi Arabia.

It is celebrated every 10th day of the month of Dhul Hajja, the 12th Month of the Hijra Calendar, the Islamic Lunar calendar.

The eid al-adha is one of the two (great) feasts or festivals of Islam, the other one being the eid al-fitr. It is celebrated by Muslims around the world and is a recognized holiday by non-Muslim states. (Saturday PUNCH)