MURIC asks FG to approve four months leave for widows

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) says the federal government should approve a four-month leave for female workers who have lost their husbands.

In a statement on Friday, Ishaq Akintola, executive director of MURIC, said female employees who lose their husbands deserve leave from work as they need to “re-plan and re-engineer their lives”.

Akintola said the government does not give widows the chance to grieve or provide them with succour while mourning their husbands.

“Our attention has been drawn to the predicament of widows nationwide regarding the way they are treated by their employers immediately after their husbands die,” the statement reads.

‘’It is common knowledge that the Nigerian government does not recognize or give any particular succour to working women whose husbands die.

“More often than not, they are left at the mercy of their employers who may or may not give them one or two days off duty.

“This is heartless to say the least. A woman who loses her husband to the wicked hands of death is going through a harrowing experience.

“Losing her husband to the cold hands of death is a tragic landmark in a woman’s life. She needs sympathy, companionship and plenty of time to rest.

“This is why the glorious Qur’an in Chapter 2 verse 234 stipulates a recovery or waiting period of four months and ten days for Muslim women whose husbands just died. The fact that the command comes from the glorious Qur’an makes it a fundamental human right enjoined by Allah.

“It is Allah-given. It is divine, not human. Therefore, no individual homo sapien, institution or government should oppose or deny it.

“This period is called ‘iddah in Islam. A new Muslim widow must observe the ‘iddah not only for her to recover but also for her and her husband’s family to ascertain if she has been pregnant before the husband died. She is expected to remain indoors throughout the period.”

He said the Muslim organisation is committed to advocating for the welfare of Nigerians, particularly women and children.

“We therefore demand a four and a half months leave for all widows working in federal, state and private establishments. We note with immense pleasure that even men now enjoy paternity leave,” he said.

“This widows’ leave therefore becomes a question of good conscience for states that have already granted paternity leave to men.

“For if men enjoy paternity leave when their wives deliver new babies, it stands both logic and good conscience on their heads if we fail to extend similar relief to distressed and twice vulnerable widows.

“MURIC charges Islamic organisations and Islamic scholars to begin the lobby on the corridors of state governments practicing Shari’ah.

“They have no alibi for not implementing this Shari’ah-compliant policy for widows.”