KARACHI: As the government mulls over the difficult decision to stop large congregations in mosques, several top clerics from different schools of thought have urged the public to adopt preventive measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Addressing a media briefing over a meeting at Governor House in Karachi, renowned religious scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani said that they have approached various ulemas via telephone to develop a consensus over a joint strategy to combat the virus.
“If preventive measures are not taken then the pandemic could affect many people,” he said, adding that people should pray before Almighty Allah seeking forgiveness for their sins.
He said that all clerics and religious scholars have agreed upon a joint strategy calling for adopting preventive measures, but stopped short of calling for a ban on congregation prayers.
Ruet-i-Hilal Committee Chairman Mufti Muneeb ur Rehman said that minor children, elderly, people infected with coronavirus and their caretakers could offer prayers at home, while such people will be given the blessings of congregational prayers.
He said that collective prayer could be offered with woman relatives at home. He urged people aging above 50 to avoid coming to the mosques during the time of pandemic. He added that those coming to mosques should perform ablution at home.
He also asked prayer leaders to remove carpets from the mosques and offer prayers on plain floor after proper cleaning process in order to avoid any contact with the virus. He added that prayers can be offered at home as the virus spreads across the country.
He also called for limiting the time period of Friday sermons and asked the public to return to their homes soon after offering obligatory prayers and offer the remaining at home.
Religious scholar Syed Shahenshah Hussain Naqvi suggested that collective Friday prayers and other religious gatherings should be halted, however, mosques and imambargahs would remain open for the prayers.
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