Prayers against Ebola intensified in Saudi Arabia
In response to His Excellency, President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma’s call to the nation to stay home for self-reflection and prayers against the deadly Ebola virus on Monday, August 4th, 2014, Ambassador Alhaji Mohamed Sillah Kargbo, President Koroma’s envoy to Saudi Arabia, called upon his nationals in Riyadh to converge at the Chancery. (Photo: Ambassador Kargbo (in African attire) sandwiched by some of his nationals)
The Sierra Leone nationals responded in huge numbers, read the Holy Quran and followed it up with fervent and heartfelt supplications to save Sierra Leone and its affected neighbours, Guinea and Liberia and the entire sub-region from the dangers of the Ebola carnage, which has been characterized to be a lot worse than the rebel war and AIDS.
A similar prayer session was held by Sierra Leoneans in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, who, in their turn, offered prayers against the common enemy of Sierra Leone, Ebola.
Amb. Kargbo praying against Ebola in Islam’s most holiest Mosque
Prior to the above prayer sessions, Ambassador M. S. Kargbo and Ambassador Mohamed Fofanah of Iran and a number of Sierra Leone Embassy officials and Sierra Leoneans spent the most sacred last ten days of the fasting month of Ramadan at the Grand Mosque of Makkah during which they took the opportunity to offer most needed supplications against the wild spread of the lethal Ebola virus in their beloved country.
It should be recalled that in an earlier publication, this writer informed that Sierra Leoneans in Riyadh gathered at the Embassy of Sierra Leone on all the four Fridays during the just concluded Ramadan and fervently prayed against Ebola.
It is worthy to note that, at the end of the recitation of the entire Holy Quran Monday, the Vice Chairman of Dawa and Guidance , Sheikh Maroof Sesay, admonished the people of Sierra Leone to be God fearing and obedient to His commands by doing what He has ordained and by refraining from all that He has forbidden.
A cross section of the nationals praying
The learned Sheikh Sesay, however, strongly advised the nation to keep closer to Allah the Almighty by collectively and individually offering prayers on a daily basis, by advising one another to fear Allah in the open and in secret, by totally desisting from fornication and adultery and by refraining from the use of drugs and intoxicants.
Under the circumstances and whenever such calamities befall nations, Sheikh Sesay advised that people should offer charities and Muslims should keep saying “ASTAGHFIRULLAH” meaning, Oh Allah, forgive my sins. This supplication, he reiterated, should be on the tongue of every Muslim, man and woman, at all times. By adhering to all the above instructions and by offering prayers asking
Allah for forgiveness, the learned Sheikh assured his compatriots that the Almighty will soon redeem the nation from this deadly scourge, which has terribly begun to take a toll on the lives of citizens of the sub-region. He stated that the only way forward is to stick to the path that Allah ordained us to follow.
At both the beginning and end of the Quranic session today, Ambassador Kargbo thanked his nationals for answering his call at such a short notice. He reiterated that he was responding to the call of President Koroma, who asked the entire nation to stay indoors and reflect and pray for ‘Mama Salone.’ He unreservedly commended his nationals for the vigour and enthusiasm they have demonstrated and appealed to them to continually pray for the security, stability and development of Sierra Leone. However, he said the most needed prayer of the hour is to have an Ebola free nation.
On the other hand, the president of the Sierra Leone Nationals’ Union in Riyadh, Mr. Uthman M. Kargbo, in his turn, thanked the general membership of the Union for the patriotism and togetherness they have manifested in their spiritual fight against Ebola. For the nationals to continue their collective prayers unabated, he humbly requested the good office of the Ambassador to allow his nationals to converge at the premises of Chancery every Friday in order to pray, among other things, against Ebola until it is totally eradicated from Sierra Leone in particular and from Guinea, Liberia and the entire African continent in general.
Responding, Ambassador M. S. Kargbo appreciated the Union president’s request and said it is his responsibility to support any moves geared towards national interest and concern. He said he would make the Chancery available as requested for the purpose of spiritually fighting against Ebola.
By Ibrahim Sillah
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