Chilima urges Muslims to use Ramadhan to pray for peaceful Malawi polls

UTM Party presidential candidate Saulos Chilima has asked Muslims who are preparing for the commencement of the holy period of Ramadan to  use the period to pray for peaceful May 21 Tripartite Elections.

Ramadan is a period of one full month that the faithful undertake a dawn – dusk fasting which primarily entails abstinence from food, drink, marital intimacy and any such prohibitions as instructed by Allah (God).

Speaking at St Augustine 3 Primary School ground in Mangochi on Sunday, Chilima, who is the country’s Vice-President,  said he is happy the elections coincide with the month of Ramadhan, and urged the Muslims to commit themselves in praying for violence free elections.

“Since we are in Ramadhan, lets remember to pray  for the elections to be free, fair and credible,” said Chilima during th UTM rally.

Chilima wished Muslims  a “blessed” Ramadan when he said “Ramadan Kareem”.

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and is compulsory for all Muslims except those who are exempted – among others the terminally ill, travelers, elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding, or menstruating.

At the end of the 29 or 30 days of fasting, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr which literally means “festival of breaking the fast” in Arabic.

On the day, Muslims attend a special prayer in the morning at outdoor locations or mosques. The prayer consists of a sermon followed by the short congregational prayer.

After the prayer, they visit friends and relatives, give gifts especially to children, and make phone calls to distant relatives to exchange greetings of “Eid Mubarak” or “Blessed Eid”.