Millions of Muslims observed Friday Jumu’at prayers in Kano within the metropolis, some of them in Gwale and Kumbotso local government areas.
Despite the present scare around the world over the new wave of COVID-19, the Friday rituals were observed in manners that indicate lack of awareness for the pandemic.
At the Sheikh Isyaku Rabiu Mosque in Gwauron Dutse, hundreds of worshipers who observed their prayers inside and outside the main building were seen without their face masks.
There was also no spacing between worshipers, just as there were no provisions for hand-washing and sanitization.
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A few worshippers who spoke with our reporter said there was no need for such measures to be observed in the mosques since they are not being observed elsewhere in the state.
This attitude perhaps underlies why the issue of vaccination has also not been taken seriously even by the authorities in the state.
Kallamu Hamza Gwale said “Haba Mallam, we should fear God at all times and stop bringing this sort of things to prayer grounds. All these issues about face masks, social distancing and hand sanitisers could be tolerated in work places, banks, super markets and the likes. But in the mosques, we come as faithfuls, believing in Allah, the owner of everything and the decider of our lives, so we are not supposed to be entertaining such mundane issues as COVID-19 as so on.”
He said “We have seen the way this same COVID thing affected peoples’ lives last year, and I think it was all for nothing.”
It was observed that a sizeable number of people still wear face masks but most of those who spoke to our reporters said they wear them to “prevent dust getting into my nose during this harmattan period. You know the way Kano wind becomes dusty during harmattan,” said Habibu Sani Kabuga.
For the ladies who went to the mosque at the Uhud Jumuat Mosque in Naibawa, most of them elderly, it was a different issue entirely.
The Hijab that they wore mostly had head gears that covered their noses and mouths.
A young Salma Husain said she does not need to use face mask because her Hijab served better purposes.
“Why? If it is to prevent anything, my Hijab is thicker and covers my face better,” she explained.
