Daily Times

A meeting of ulema and religious scholars from across the country on Tuesday said five-time daily congregational prayers as well on Fridays will be held in mosques from now, adding that precautionary measures advised by the government will, however, be implemented.

The statement from the religious leaders comes as the government announced on Tuesday that it will continue the lockdown imposed in light of the coronavirus outbreak for two more weeks, easing restrictions for some ‘low-risk’ industries.

Speaking at a press conference after a meeting of representatives from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Jamiat-e-Ulema Pakistan, Jamaat-e-Islami and Tanzeem-e-Islami among other religious parties at Karachi Press Club, Mufti Taqi Usmani, a renowned religious scholar and former judge of the Federal Shariat Court, said it was decided that prayers will be held while observing precautionary measures. Detailing the precautionary measures, he said there will be proper distance between rows and individuals during congregations. He urged the elderly to pray at their homes and other people to return to their homes as soon as prayers are over. “In the present conditions, five daily prayers along with precautionary measures are essential,” he added.

Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Mufti Muneebur Rehman said the lockdown is not ‘applicable to mosques’, adding that arrangements will be made for Friday congregational prayers and Tarawih in Ramzan.

Calling the congregational prayers a ‘necessity’, a statement released after the meeting said that it is important to continue the prayers while observing precautionary measures. The meeting called for the resumption of all congregational prayers including the five daily prayers and the Friday prayers, terming the government’s restrictions on three-five people only ‘impractical’. The statement urged elderly people, people affected by the virus or those caring for virus patients to not come to the mosque.

Detailing the preventive measures, the statement said carpets will be removed and the floor washed with disinfectant liquid after the prayers, and sanitisers will be installed at the gates of the mosque. The statement further advised people to perform ablutions at their homes, wear masks and leave for their homes immediately after the prayers. It also advised that the Urdu part of the Friday sermon be removed and substituted with five minutes of information about preventive measures for Covid-19.

Commenting on the clerics’ announcement, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Noor ul Haq Qadri said that the decision on allowing congregational prayers, Tarawih and Aitekaf countrywide will be made on April 18 after consultation with the clerics. “Unilateral and local decisions should be avoided to promote unity among the country,” he said, adding that the government will take necessary measures for a coronavirus-free Ramazan.

The minister said that the government would take clerics from all schools of thoughts and political leadership into confidence over its decisions. “The government through its measures is prioritizing to save lives of the people,” he said, adding that meeting of the clerics will be headed by President Arif Alvi and attended by provincial governors and president of Azad Kashmir.