Forgive, help and be merciful to each other and repent, he tells the populace
By M. A. Egge
The Head of State H.E. Ahmed Mohammed Mohamoud has declared the 1st February 2016 a national day for prayers for the rainfall as per Islamic tradition.
The President made the announcement yesterday to a large gathering of the members of the clergy who were summoned to the Presidency in a bid to mobilize extensive nation-wide prayers cum repentance.
The President reminded the nation that as Muslims we were obligated to call for the special prayers for the rainfall whenever a widespread catastrophic drought of long periods of time befall the people as is the case currently.
“Since we are Muslims and long droughts has befallen us, it was the Traditions of the Prophet (Pbuh) to call for the special prayers in such scenarios”, said the President.
He added, “In line with the tradition (Sunna) I call upon all Somalilanders to come together for the observance of a national prayer on the 1st of February 2016 which corresponds to 22ndRabi’ul-Thani 1434”.
The former is the solar calendar and the later is the lunar one. The day will thus be on Monday at 8:00 a.m. the morning.
The President further reminded the members of the clergy and the nation at large the traditions of the Holly Prophet Muhamemd (Pbuh) of hearkening to righteousness such that prayers may be announced.
He said, “People ought to be merciful to each other, step up their benevolence hence help those in needy amongst them and forgive each other”.
He urged Somalilanders to be more repent-full such that blessings from Allah may be showered upon them.
He at the same time urged the populace to give alms as much as they can.
The country is largely drought stricken to the extent that it is feared that the ongoing registration for the electorate exercise may be interrupted, if calls from some MPs on the matter is anything to go by.
As ordained in the Devine scripture as the President reminded the clergy, Be merciful to each other so that Allah may be merciful to you.
The President was flanked by his deputy H.E. Abdirahman Abdillahi Ismail, Presidency Minister Hon Mohamoud Hashi, Interior Minister Hon Ali Mohamed, Minister for Religious Affairs and Endowment and Presidential Spokesman Eng Hussein A. Egge amongst other officials.
It is noteworthy to remind our readers that only last week the VP H.E. Abdirahman A. Ismael Seili’i announced major fundraising to be launched on the cause of addressing the plight of the people caused by the drought.
In related news drizzles were experienced in the city yesterday in the early morning hours and in the best part of the evening to the relief of the residents.
The whole day was cool and heavily clouded, a climatic phenomenon not seen in the city for a long time.
