By Kemo Cham
A group of Islamic leaders on Friday launched a nationwide campaign to raise awareness on the coronavirus pandemic and prevention of its transmission.
The leaders, under the banner of the Forum of Islamic Organization for Peaceful Coexistence in Sierra Leone, which comprises representatives from all the major Islamic sects in the country, say the goal of the campaign is to complement government’s effort in the fight against the global health emergency.
The campaign was officially launched at the Texaco Lorry Park in Kissy in the east end of Freetown, at a ceremony presided over by the Minister of Social Welfare, Baindu Dassama, whose office oversees religious issues in the country. It was witnessed by the three spiritual heads of all three major Islamic sects in the country - Sunni, Shia and Ahmadiyya.
A spokesman for the group told Politico that the main aim of the campaign was to complement government’s effort in warding off the virus by sensitizing the general public on the dangers of the disease.
Mohamed Whusha Conteh, Public Relations Officer of the group, said they would be using references in the Holy Quran and practices of the Prophet Mohammad (pbh) to justify calls by health authorities to practice infection prevention control measures.
Conteh said the Prophet taught that if anyone heard about a disease outbreak anywhere they shouldn’t enter such a place and should rather stay where they are and prevent themselves. This, he added, is in tune with what health experts are advising.
Friday’s launch of the campaign was characterized by lectures by the three spiritual heads of the sects that make up the organization – Sunni leader Dr. Ibrahim Salieu Kamara, Sheikh Tejan Sillah of the Shia sect and Saeed Ur Rahman of the Ahmadiyya Jaamat. They referenced Quranic verses that were meant to convince the faithful to comply especially on the shutting down of mosques, a major source of acrimony.
As part of its efforts to prevent transmission, the government a moved to discourage all public gathering. Places of worship are among those affected, but there had been resistance from some section of the public.
Friday’s launching was preceded by a one-day training for members of the organization by medical experts who issued out leaflets provided by the Ministry of Health which contain messages of preventive measures to be distributed to the public.
The Forum was founded in 2012 with the aim of promoting unity and understanding amongst the sects in Sierra Leone. Its members believe that all Muslims, regardless of their divergent views, believe in the 5 (five) pillars of Islam which, as enshrined in the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, is the condition to be a Muslim.
The organization celebrates the Maulid Nabie by bringing together the different sects. It has also hosted seminars where religious tolerance is propagated.
The forum was also at the forefront of the fight against the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic through conducting of sensitization.
Alhaji Justice Abubakarr King is the president of the Forum and he said this campaign was designed to not just support the government, but also to fulfill the goal of the organization which is to promote peaceful co-existence among people.
“We cannot have a peaceful co-existence when there is no peace and this virus will not just come for just Muslims or Christians, it will affect every one of us,” Justice King told Politico.
He added that they felt obliged to help the government which had done “laudable” moves so far in efforts to protect its people.
According to Justice King, the campaign is crucial because there is a need to explain a lot of things that had been shrouded in misinformation about the government’s response to the pandemic. He said besides awareness raising on prevent of transmission of the virus, the campaign provides an opportunity for them to explain and calm down nerves on the decision to shut down mosques.
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