President Bola Tinubu observed the Friday Jumat prayer sitting down on a chair. His Aide-de-Camp can be seen standing behind the chair, while watching the President do his worship.
Other worshippers prayed sittting on the carpet.
In Islam, Friday prayer or congregational prayer (also called Ṣalāt al-Jumuʿah) is a prayer (ṣalāt) that Muslims hold every Friday afternoon instead of the Zuhr prayer.
Muslims ordinarily pray five times each day according to the sun’s sky path regardless of time zones.
The Harrogate Islamic Association states that as well as the five daily prayers, there is also an obligatory Friday (Jummah) prayer. “This prayer is offered in a congregation with a sermon on Fridays, in place of the midday (Dhuhr) prayer,” the association notes.
In the video shared by Television Continental (TVC), the President’s privately-owned broadcast station, Tinubu stands up at intervals in response to the imam’s congregational guidance, and falls back on his seat as necessary. His gestures are akin to the regular postures during any Salat.
According to HIA, “There are various positions while performing salah, which include Qiyam, Ruku, Sajdah and Tashshhud.
“Qiyam involves standing; Ruku involves bowing; Sajdah involves prostration; and Tashahhud involves the sitting posture,” HIA explains.
Normally, Muslims pray on the mat; but Nigerians who responded to the TVC video say Islam permits Muslims to pray from a chair as did President Tinubu if there are genuine reasons, such as health issues.
Babangida @babshamisu says, “Islamically it’s allowed to pray while sitting down, laying down or even upright standing depending on the issue one is battling with. As it is obligatory to pray, so no excuse is given or allowed to miss any of the 5 daily prayers.”
TJames @_liltjames says, “Yes some sit because of back problems or some health related issues.”
Meanwhile, other netizens used the opportunity to settle political scores with the President.
See the video, as shared on Twitter:
