Jigawa Community Seeks Divine Intervention as Dry Spell Threatens Crops

Residents of Basirka town in Gwaram Local Government Area of Jigawa State have turned to prayer over a prolonged dry spell threatening their farms.

The community held a three-day special prayer for rainfall from Saturday to Monday at the town’s Eid ground.

Residents also observed a voluntary fast on Monday as they sought divine intervention over the worsening weather condition.

The prayer, known as Salatul Istisqa, came after weeks of poor rainfall that have left several crops struggling to survive.

Farmers in the area rely heavily on rain-fed agriculture, making the prolonged dry spell a major concern for households.

The situation has also raised concerns because rainfall patterns have remained uneven across different parts of the country.

While some southern states have experienced heavy rainfall and flooding, parts of the North have continued to record inadequate rainfall.

At the Monday session, the Chief Imam of Basirka, Sheikh Sanunu Basirka, led residents in a two-rak’ah special prayer.

In his sermon, he urged residents to seek forgiveness, give charity and turn to Allah for mercy.

Sanunu said the community had held the prayer over three consecutive days because of the seriousness of the situation.

“We have gathered here to sincerely repent and ask Allah to forgive us and bless us with abundant rainfall,” he said.

The cleric described the lack of rainfall as a test and urged residents to intensify their prayers while avoiding actions that could attract divine displeasure.

He also reminded the congregation of the Islamic teaching that sincere repentance and seeking forgiveness can attract divine mercy and rainfall.

The prayer attracted farmers, Islamic scholars, elderly residents, youths, women and children from Basirka and neighbouring communities.

Many participants sat under the scorching sun with their hands raised as they offered supplications for rain and relief.

A 65-year-old farmer, Ibrahim Musa Dankoli, said the dry spell had already affected his maize and millet farms.

“We have not had good rainfall for weeks, and our crops have started burning,” Dankoli said.

He added that farmers had little option but to seek divine intervention as the situation continued.

Another resident, Haruna Aliyu Basirka, said the dry spell had created anxiety among farmers across the local government area.

“We are worried because this is the middle of the farming season but the rains have seized,” he said.

Haruna said the community decided to pray together because of the growing threat to farming activities.

Similarly, youth leader Malam Sulaiman Adamu Basirka said the prayer brought residents together across age groups.

He said the community wanted rainfall that would rescue their farms and provide enough water for livestock.

“We came out here as one community, old and young, men and women, to beg Allah to send us beneficial rain,” Sulaiman said.

The residents expressed hope that the prayers would bring an end to the dry spell and restore normal farming activities in the area.

Source: Punch Online