Ulema refuse to shut mosques despite sharp spike in coronavirus cases

Ulemas and Mashaykh of different religious schools of thought on Thursday refused to shut mosques despite a sharp spike in coronavirus cases.

The number of people affected by the novel coronavirus in Pakistan surged to 447, according to government data.

The clerics, however, appealed to public to say Sunnah prayers and make Wudu (Ablution) at home while leaving for Juma prayers in mosques.

Leadership of different religious schools of thought including Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council while addressing a Press Conference here on Thursday appealed to public to say Sunnah prayers at home on Friday and make Wudu at home while leaving for Juma prayers in the mosques.

The clerics also stated that Masajid in Pakistan will not be lockdown adding that public should seek precautionary measures to stay safe against Coronavirus pandemic. The clerics of different religious schools of thought also urged on Imams and Ulemas to short Juma sermons by limiting the sermon only in Arabic language.

The clerics also urged on mosques administrators to ensure Friday prayers in open air of the Masajid. The clerics also refuted rumours relating to lockdown Masajid in the country stating that some elements want at spread anarchy in the country in connection of Coronavirus.

On this occasion, Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi was also flanked by leading Ulemas of different religious scholars including Pir Asadullah Farooq, Qazi Matiullah Saeedi,Syed Ziaullah Shah Bukhari, Maulana Muhammad Khan Leghari, Pir Mehfooz Mashadi, Maulana Zubair Abid, Maulana Shafi Qasmi, Allama Younis Hassan, Allama Tahirul Hasssan, Qari Javed Akhtar, Allama Ghulam Akbar Saqi, Qari Javed Akhtar Saqi, Maulana Muhammad Hanif Bhatti, Mufti Muhammad Umar Farooq, Maulana Aseedur Rehman Saeed, Maulana Abdul Qayyum Farroqi, Maulana Zahid Kazmi,Maulana Abdul Hakim Athar and Qari Mubashar Raheemi.

The clerics stated that seminaries all over Pakistan have been closed and education in all the seminaries will start after Ramadhan. The religious scholars also appealed to philanthropists to assist general public to ensure availability of basic commodities of life.

The clerics also demanded of the government machinery to ensure action against hoarders and merchants responsible for artificial inflation in the country.

The clerics appealed to public to restrict social coordination by seeking precautionary measures to stay safe against Coronavirus. The entire nation has been passing through a critical crisis, said clerics adding that with unity and caring conduct, we can defeat this pandemic.

The religious scholars underlined that today’s Friday sermons will be shortened and administrators of mosques should ensure Friday prayers in open places of the Mosques. Prayer rows should be made with sufficient added distance and floors of Masjid as well as halls of the mosques should be cleaned with detergents.

Ulemas and Mashaykh also urged on elderly people to say Friday prayers at home and appealed to people to remain vigilant against rumours makers and not to make panic in the society in connection of Coronavirus.

Responding to a query, Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi stated that situation relating outbreak of Coronavirus is not as alarming as in Saudi Arabia adding that Saudi authorities had announced policy in accordance of the situation in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia relating Coronavirus pandemic.

Saudi authorities has taken on board Saudi Arabia’s Ulemas and clerics ahead of adopting strategy against Coronavirus pandemic in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, said Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council, President Wafaq-ul-Masajid Madaris-e-Pakistan.