Some Muslims refuse to pray at home despite the coronavirus
The government approves a 20-point strategy to fight COVID-19 during Ramadan. However, some religious leaders have criticised its restrictions. For Pakistani President Arif Alvi, those who do not respect the rules “commit sin". Children, people over 50 and sick people must pray at home.
Islamabad (AsiaNews) – Many Muslims in Pakistan are refusing to stay home to pray and insist on going to mosques, thus going against the indications on how to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The government has adopted a 20-point plan to fight the disease during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting and prayer.
The strategy, which imposes restrictions on prayers in public, comes as the COVID-19 virus continues to affect more people with 8,000 reported cases and 159 deaths.
The authorities want to avoid the mistakes made at the beginning of the pandemic, when some Shia pilgrims returning from Iran were not effectively isolated, favouring the spread of the virus.
The same happened with the members of Tablighi Jamaat, a Sunni group, who were allowed to celebrate mass prayers in Punjab.
On 14 April, Prime Minister Imran Khan extended the existing quarantine until the end of the month. For his part, President Arif Alvi said that anyone violating the new anti-COVID 19 restrictions were committing a “sin".
The measures were taken with the agreement of the country’s main religious leaders. They require, among other things, respect for social distancing and strict standards of hygiene.
Going to mosques is possible on condition of avoiding any contact and wearing a mask. But this does not apply to children, people over 50 and sick people, who are required to pray at home.
Ablutions must be done at home as well. It is forbidden to pray in the street, a customary practice in Pakistan given overcrowding in mosques.
For some Islamic leaders however, daily prayers and Friday sermons in mosques must resume without restrictions. According to them, places of prayer cannot be closed in a Muslim country.
In reality, many Muslim countries have done just that, closing mosques and banning mass gatherings. Saudi Arabia has even shut down the Kaaba in Mecca, the most important holy site in Islam.
But in many ways, religion is more important than anything else in Pakistan, even more important than the pandemic.
"The mosque is a safe place,” the owner of an Islamabad kiosk told AsiaNews. “I am not afraid of the coronavirus,” he added. Many people share his view and are ready to take risks just to pray in one.
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27/04/2021 15:46
