By M B Jalloh
As I reflect on my tenure as Information Attaché at the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States, I am reminded of my longstanding commitment to disseminating accurate and timely information about the sighting of the Ramadan, Shawwal, and Dhul-Hijjah crescents.
During my tenure as a journalist in Sierra Leone, I made it a point to seek out accurate information on the timely sighting of the Ramadan crescent. My goal was to share this information with the Muslim community in Sierra Leone in a timely manner. I am grateful to have received invaluable support from my friends, who are esteemed scholars.
Therefore, during my tenure of office as Information Attaché in Saudi Arabia, the cradle of Islam, I found it much easier to continue my service to the Muslim Ummah by giving them accurate and timely information about the state of the crescents of Ramadan, Shawwal and Dhul-Hijjah, as sighting the crescents of these three months is of paramount concern to Muslims globally.
Although dissemination of information about the sighting of crescents has never been part of my job description, I took the responsibility upon myself to handle this noble job of relieving Muslims from the endless controversy and bitter arguments that were the norm of the hour in Sierra Leone whenever Ramadan was approaching, especially when there weren’t many news outlets to give accurate information on the crescent at the time, as there is now.
What motivated me more to continue performing this task is the fact that I found out that Muslims have always found the information I give out to be credible. While anyone can now obtain this information independently, many still rely on trusted sources.
Many friends and colleagues still contact me from various areas of the country in anticipation of getting them accurate and credible information on the crescent. And they have every reason to seek such information from someone who has been tested and proven time and again to be reliable and credible at all times.
Most importantly, I have always received heartfelt supplications as a result of this vitally important task I have been performing. Therefore, it’s a privilege to continue serving my Muslim brethren, a service every good Muslim would love doing, because it is commendable and rewarding. So, in or out of office, and regardless of my designation, I will continue this worthwhile service to the Muslim Ummah. And I would like to encourage others to perform the same task, so that all of us get the reward.
I am proud to have established myself as a reliable and credible person on crescent sightings, and I will continue to serve the Muslim Ummah with dedication and integrity.
