The Nikah & Other Islamic Functions Association (NIFA) has announced that the 2015 Eid-ul-Fitr will be held at Kamuzu Upper Stadium as usual, on Friday or Saturday, depending on the sighting of the new moon. Making the announcement, the Publicity Secretary of the organization Issa Kazembe said that the Takbirs will start at 07:30am and the actual prayer will be at 08:00am.
Confirming the development, the organizing chairman of the 2015 Eid-ul-Fitr preparations committee Twaibu Lawe said that although this year’s preparations were quite challenging than the previous years due to financial constraints, he is very grateful to all who supported the organization to make sure that the 2015 prayers will be as memorable as ever.
“We only raised MK160,000 from well wishers against the budget of MK576,000, and this (shortfall) almost derailed our preparations but Alhamdulillah on Monday July 13, honorable Sidik Mia fulfilled his pledge (that he made at last year’s Eid-ul-Fitr prayers) and has cleared the shortfall (with a MK400,000 payment),” he said.
He explained that the money is used to hire the tents, pay for the venue, pay for transportation of equipments and payments towards other logistics.
Asked why the organization incurs such expenses when Muslims can just pray at their local masaajid without any cost element, Sheikh Muhammad Uthman who is NIFA’s trustee and adviser justified the decision and said that Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, recommended that eid prayers should be held at a public place so that “even women who would ordinarily not be allowed to pray, partakes in the prayers by following the proceedings at a distance…something which cannot easily be achieved if eid prayers were to be held indoors.”
He further said that Kamuzu Upper Stadium is centrally located with a driving distance of roughly 15 minutes from all corners of the city, making accessibility very easy.
“Our prayers are delayed by 30 minutes (they start at 08:00am) and people who miss the prayers at their respective places can board a minibus, join us and manage to pray with jamaah (congregation). These are the prayers that are held once in year and we undertake to make it as convenient as possible for everyone not to miss them,” he concluded.
2015 Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at the Upper Stadium will be held under the theme: “Unity and Respect Among Muslims.”
Aman Kunje who is NIFA’s president said that they chose the theme after realizing that Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, emphasized on unity and respect among the faithful. “You can see what is happening nowadays; how can we achieve unity when there is no respect between the juniors and their elders, the followers and their leaders and one organization with the other. It doesn’t matter that there are differences of opinion within the community, that is diversity in itself, but we should learn to respect each other so that we can make unity of the ummah a reality.”
Nikah & Other Islamic Functions Association is an event management organization that organizes Muslim functions like nikahs, akeeka ceremonies and other Islamic functions. It relies on monthly contributions from its members and donations from well wishers for its operations.
