Bauchi First Lady Organises Prayer Session to Mark Arafat Day, calls on Citizens to be Steadfast in Supplications
By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
The wife of Bauchi State Governor and first lady of the state Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed has organised a special prayer session to mark the 2021 Arafat Day.
Hajiya Aisha said the objective of the prayer/supplications session was to partake in the immense benefit of supplications on Arafat Day and to seek forgiveness from Allah in such an auspicious day.
She thanked the Islamic Clerics for attending the event despite the short notice and also called on invited guests, especially women, to also rally around their families to offer supplications at all times.
“We have challenges in our society that comes in every form. Rape, kidnap, armed robbery, drug addiction, waywardness and general decay in our society are issues of great concern to all.
“While government at all levels are doing their best to tackle such challenges, it has become imperative to support them with prayers and supplications all the time.”
The first lady thanked her husband, Governor Bala Mohammed for always supporting any initiative that comes from her and also prayed for Allah’s guidance for him in carrying out the mandate of the citizens.
She also announced the donation of 5 million naira from the Governor to be shared to the clerics and invited guests.
She concluded her address with Arabic supplications drawn from the Holy Quran and Hadiths, to the delight of her husband, the clerics and invited guests at the event.
In a goodwill message, Governor Bala Mohammed commended the first lady for organising the prayer sessions which he described as timely and auspicious.
The Governor also thanked the Clerics for their steadfastness in offering supplications in their respective places of worship and schools for the success of the current administration, calling on them not to relent.
“Please i implore you to use your pulpits in propagating peace and harmony among citizens.
“Do also enlighten your congregations on Governments good intentions towards the people and to also disabuse their minds on negative propaganda of the discerning minds. We thank you for the support we are getting from our clerics and hope that it will be sustain”, said governor Bala.
Earlier in his welcome address, a commissioner in the state Sharia Commission, Malllam Abdurrahaman Idris thanked the state first lady for organising the prayer session and also encouraged her to sustain the tempo.
Idris also reminded the people that supplications are answered unhindered on Arafat Day and further urged Muslims to extend more supplications, love and care in subsequent days.
In a short Ta’alim session, an Islamic cleric Dr. Fatihu Sheik Dahiru Bauchi expressed sadness over stopping of pilgrimage to Makka for 2 years running, due to Covid-19 challenges.
He said that it is because of our sins that Allah is punishing us with challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic that could not allow us to perform one of the cardinal pillars of Islam, the Hajj.
“We should repent, go back to the ways of Allah and seek for His forgiveness or else Allah will withdraw all His favours from us”, said Dr. Fatiyu.
Also speaking, the Imam of Zango Mosque, Sheikh Hassan Ibrahim Zango emphasized on the need for Muslims to be steadfast in supplications ,stressing that, “Allah is not happy with people who do no seek for His forgiveness or supplicate to Him for their needs”.
Sheik Zango, while pointing out the importance of prayers and supplications, said “it is prayers and supplications that brought the current administration to power”.
Our correspondent reports that prayers were offered by select Islamic clerics. Also some household needs and cash were distributed to invited guests in the spirit of Sallah.