President Alvi asks mosques to implement 20-point SOPs

ISLAMABAD: President Dr. Arif Alvi while visiting a number of mosques here on Sunday (26th of April, 2020) directed the administrations of the holy places to ensure implementation of 20 SOPs in order to contain the spread of COVID-19. 

During his visit to various mosques (Jamia Mosque Anwaar Madina in Ahmed Town, Jamia Mosque Ghausia on Simly Dam Road, Begum Mosque Barakahu, and Jamia Mosque Shamma-e-Risalat) President Alvi said Covid-19 challenge could only be addressed through effectively pursuing precautionary measures.

The president inspected precautionary measures being adopted by mosques administration during prayers and Namaz-e-Taraweeh. He was accompanied by Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Noor-ul-Haq Qadri and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Capital Development Authority Affairs Ali Nawaz Awan.

It is pertinent to mention here that last week a female SHO of Peerabad PS in Orangi area (Karachi) S.I. Sharafat Khan, had been attacked by a mob here today when she attempted to stop them from converging inside a mosque to offer Friday prayers.

It is pertinent to mention here that Provincial Govt. had imposed a ban on (congregational) ba-jamaat Friday prayers at mosques in order to contain the COVID-19 Pandemic.

When SI Sharafat reached the area with Police force and asked the people present at the mosque to pray at home many started pelting rocks at law enforcers, as a result SHO too received minor injuries.

Judicial magistrate of the area, taking notice of the incident, had directed DIG West to take action against the attackers.

Despite a ban on congregational prayers (Namaz ba Jamaat) many prayer leaders (imams) attempted to violate the code of prayers in the  last weeks.

In order to stop the Coronavirus from spreading the government of Sindh had banned the congregational prayers till 5th of April, 2020. Only 3 to 5 members of the mosque staff are allowed to pray inside the mosque. Karachi Police had arrested 38 prayer leaders and registered 88 FIRs for violating the Sindh government’s restrictions on congregational prayers in the mosques.

According to details the FIRs were registered u/s 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 188 (omission to assist public servant when bound by law to give assistance) and 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the PPC and Section 4 of the Sindh Epidemic Disease Act, 2014.

Punjab government had also directed all the mosques to be locked for Juma prayer and general prayers for five times except only for five people, including the caller for prayer (muezzin) and prayer leader (imam), who would be allowed to perform prayers. In Punjab too a number of prayer leaders were arrested violating the orders and cases were registered against them.

Will ‘Hayya Alassalah’ be changed by ‘Salaat fi Buyut’ in Azaan

ISLAMABAD: Jamia Al-Azhar, an authority on Islamic injunctions, has issued a Fatwa yesterday (Wednesday 27th of March, 2020) saying since congregational prayers at mosques, could result in the spread of coronavirus Muslim countries had full jurisdiction to cancel such gathering.

According to Fatwa the words Hayya Alassalah (come to prayers) need to be by replaced by Salaat fi Buyut (Namaz at your Homes). Fatwa also says families can offer Namaz-ba-jamaat within their homes.