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| Islamic funeral procession in Nigeria |
The jingles which were made in Nupe, Gbagyi, Hausa and English languages
reiterated that public gatherings in Mosques and Churches were banned till
further notice.
The jingle went further to state that ceremonies and burials
were henceforth banned in the state. The inclusion of ‘burials’ in the list of
banned activities has raised eyebrows.
In a state where at least 70% of the population
adheres to Islam, it is common to see people accompanying a funeral procession.
Crowds could sometimes be in their hundreds especially when a prominent member
of society dies.
The state government has not given a clear description of what
it means by ‘a ban on burials’.
Does the ban seek to limit the number of people
in funeral processions in line with the principle of social-distancing?
OR
Does the ban intend to force Muslims to patronize mortuaries until the pandemic is over? According to Islamic law, it is highly detestable for Muslims to delay the burial of the deceased.
Muhammad (SAW) said, “Hasten to bury the corpse; for if it was righteous then you are sending it off to its welfare; and if it was otherwise then you are putting off a liability from your necks”.
In another statement, Muhammad (SAW) said, “Do not withhold the dead body, and hasten to take it to its grave…”
The Niger state government announced a 12 hour curfew on Monday 23rd March as a measure to curtail the spread of the dreaded corona virus. The state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, stated that the curfew will cover the hours between 8 am and 8 pm.
As of March 2020, over 181,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in more than 160 countries and territories. Major outbreaks have been reported in mainland China, Europe, Iran and South Korea, among others. Over 7,100 people have died from the disease and about 78,000 have recovered.
The cases in Nigeria currently stand at 65 with one casualty.
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