By Mabinty M. Kamara
Muslims in Sierra Leone yesterday 13th May 2021 joined other countries across the world to celebrate the Eid Ul-Fitri marking the end of the Ramadan month of fasting.
The Muslim community in Sierra Leone was very happy and came out in large numbers to observe the first congregational Eid prayers in different parts of the country since the outbreak of the corona virus disease in the country in March 2020.
Isatu Kamara, one of the hundreds of worshippers at the Grafton Police barracks praying field, expressed gratitude to God and to the government of Sierra Leone for lifting the ban on congregational prayers, noting that last year’s Eid ul-fitr reminded her of the 11 year civil war which kept everybody in complete fear, not knowing where next a deadly strike will come from.
“This is what we are used to. After fasting for the whole month and at the end of the Ramadan, we go out to pray during which we hear sermons that draw us closer to Allah but all that was affected by corona last year. Even the last ten days prayers was impossible for many because not everybody knows the Quran,” she said.
Sheik Ibrahim Bundu, who introduced himself as an Imam in one of the Grafton community mosques said even though the Ramadan was difficult with hike in prices of basic commodities, he was happy that they have been able to observe it to the end.
“I am really happy with the turn out of the people at the pray ground today that is what Allah wants from us as his servants. This is what we have been praying for since the outbreak of this sickness (Coronavirus) that has affected the whole world in every area including worshiping Allah,” he said.
However, Politico observed most of the worshipers at the Grafton and other pray grounds were without face masks, one for the conditions by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation which remains in force even after the lifting of the various bans such as congregational worship and public gathering as measures to curtail the virus.
People were generally surprised at the unprecedented level of turnout by worshippers this year especially in the Western Area which suggests how desperate followers of the faith were to once again converge in huge numbers in the open in the traditional way of observing Eid –ul-fitr.
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