The holy month of Ramadan is one of the sacred months to any Muslims faithful. This brings to mind why we need to step up our Ibadah, never to wrong one another and go closer to Allah. This month specifically has some historical events in Islam which jog one’s memory back to the days of Rosullu. While many Muslim faithful look forward to observing their Umrah during the holy month of Ramadan due to the many benefit ascribe to it. There is no doubt that this year Umrah 2020 will not be the same as many Muslim faithful will not be able to observe their Umrah in Ramadan. Unlike last year Umrah which paraded many Naija celebrities who came to observe their lesser hadji due to it benefit. Naija celebs will be devoid of this benefit this year due to the deadly Corona Virus which just spread to Saudi Arabia.
The question you may ask is, why do they have to visit Saudi Arabia during Ramadan when they can observe it during Rajab(few weeks before Ramadan)? Why visit the Holy land during Ramadan? Why do they love to observe their Umrah during the Ramdan? While many observe their Ramadan diligently according to the Sunnah of Anobi Muhammad some went further to crown their Ramadan by visiting the Holy land of “Mecca“ in Saudi Arabia to pray for Allah to accept their Ramadan and their Ibadah during the holy month.
Although, the Holy City of Mecca always witness a high influx of many Muslim faithful across the world, year in and out, but Umrah fondly called the lesser Hadji crowd is similar to the main Hadji. This is because it is equivalent to Hadji. It is also believed that one prayer in Masjid Nabawa in Medinat is multiplied by 1000 times.Â
Another reason why many Muslims visit Umrah during Ramdan is the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W which considers an Umrah in Ramadan equivalent to Hajj in Thawab. As most of the local Muslim residents and all the Umrah pilgrims want to perform Umrah during the month of Ramadan, it makes the Masjid al-Haram even more crowded with celebrities across the world. Saudi Arabia recorded her index Coronavirus when a national returned from Iran and ordered border closure. Thus technically stopping pilgrims from coming to observe this year Umrah 2020, Pilgrims from Nigeria would have to stay back home.
The Saudi ministry said on its official Twitter account that the individual, who was in quarantine in hospital, had not disclosed anything on his visit to Iran when entered Saudi Arabia. Iran has recorded deaths from the Coronavirus that started in China, Medical Officers from other Gulf states have tested the infection in several people who had visited Iran for the invention. The official Saudi Press Agency, citing the Health Ministry, said people who had interacted with the infected man had been isolated and were being tested.
In neighbouring Bahrain, the health ministry said that 2 more persons were tested for the Coronavirus, a Bahraini.
A Saudi man, who took non-direct flights from Iran to Bahrain and was isolated upon arrival. This brings the total recorded cases in Bahrain to 49. Saudi Arabia had since last week taken several measures to stop the spread of the disease to the Kingdom.
It imposed a ban on foreigners arriving for the Umrah Pilgrimage, Gulf nations citizens visiting Makkah and Madinah, and tourists from, at least, 25 states where the virus has been ravaging. The Health Ministry said it had prepared 25 hospitals to handle any coronavirus infections, with 2,200 beds dedicated for quarantine cases. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz later received a telephone call from King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who expressed his support for the Kingdom’s preventative measures against the coronavirus.
While many Nigerians preparing to storm the holy land in the next few weeks have been getting a refund.
One of the preventive measures against the killer disease is not just to avoid any countries where the Corona Virus is in the air, but to avoid huge crowd since the virus could be contacted through sweat and in the air, and other body fluid.
–ABIOLA ORISILE
READ ALSO: WHY WE HAVE FEW CASES OF CORONAVIRUS IN NIGERIA – LAGOS DOCTOR, DR EMMANUEL SOYOOLA
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