Muslims in Lunzu and surrounding areas gathered in large numbers at Lunzu Community Ground on Tuesday to observe Eid al Adha prayers despite the call from Majlis Ulama that Muslims should pray on Wednesday.
The prayers were attended by different people from different parts of the city with some coming all the way from Ndirande, Kachere, Kanjedza, Mudi and Mpingwe.
Sheikh Muhammad Atwiya, Principal of Ummari bun likhatwaabi Islamic Centre led the prayers with Khutba done by Sheikh Yusuf Mahamudu from the same centre.
Speaking in his sermon, sheikh Yusuf Mahamudu said there is no point in praying on Wednesday when Arafat was on Monday in Saudi Arabia.
“Islam teaches us to observe the fast when other people in Saudi Arabia are on Arafat. This is because we haven’t managed to go there to perform hajj. So today is Tuesday, Arafat was yesterday and everybody knows about it. So why should Muslims here in Malawi differ on the day to pray Eid?” wondered Mahamudu.
Other places prayed Eid al adha include some parts of Zomba at Islamic high school, a masjid at Naisi, Al bakri Masjid and other Masjids in Zomba.while in Mangochi, prayers were conducted at the community centre ground and other surrounding masjid.
Eid Adha confusion erupted in Malawi when Majlis Ulama announced that the day of prayers will be on Wednesday, the thing which other Muslims did not agree and eventually started making their announcements to pray Eid on Tuesday.
Reporting by Hassan Bhoma Phiri, Correspondent in Lunzu, Blantyre
Yeah,that is what I know and those who are going to pray eid on Wednesday they are loosers
As a Mufti I support the praying of Tuesday and 100% disagree with Wednesday. This time muslims ought not to differ in either Eid Adhuha or Eid Fitr. This is bcoz we have all means to communicate about the sighting of the moon. We do not have any authority to justify why we shud have differences on our calendar. Majlis Ulama told nation that they have evidence that differences like these occured during the time of our prophet and sahaabah but did not quote any, any I mean any hadith to that effect. what they did is to explain to the nation what happened during the time of Muawiyah which most learned people refer when justifying differences without anaylizing the situation so far. In my view I still see any reason why we shud be praying differently while we are able to communicate effectively and quoting this situation. Then it will mean that we do not use of brains.
I still do not see any reason why we should have differences and if we insist on differences then maphunziro athu sanatithandize olo pang’ono tingopanga zoloweza
Lunzu kumeneko kubwera bho.
The problem is, Ulama council did not even have a word on this on their own. It was from Ruuyatul Hilaal who are Asians. In this committee, Malawians are just members. They say the moon was sighted on Sunday but surely, when we saw it on Sunday, it was so high that we believe it was sighted on Saturday (the same with Saudi Arabia. It is also reported that some people in Malawi saw the moon on Saturday but Ruuyatul Hilaal denied taking this.
Pliz my fellow muslims, tisafike pomanyozana nkhani yake ya mwezi yomweyi.