ISLAMABAD - To prevent the spread of coronavirus, the government and religious scholars on Saturday formulated a comprehensive 20-points strategy and agreed to allow conditional prayer congregations and Taraweeh during the holy month of Ramazan.

This decision was taken during a consultative meeting of religious scholars chaired by President Arif Alvi, which formulated a 20-points strategy based on precautionary measures in consensus with the religious scholars and the provincial governments, including Azad Kashmir, to contain the spread of coronavirus.

In his opening remarks during the meeting, the President said that Muslims had great attachment with mosques, especially during the holy month of Ramazan, therefore, a policy should be drafted by developing a consensus among the nation under the recommendations of the Ulema and the input of the government.

Later announcing details of the strategy, President Arif Alvi said the government will have the option of reviewing today’s recommendations during Ramazan if it was felt that the precautionary measures are not being adhered to or that the numbers of coronavirus affected people have risen sharply.

President Arif Alvi said it has been decided that no carpets will be laid in the mosques and Imam Bargahs and that the prayers will be offered on the floor with a distance of six feet between the people offering prayers. The people are also required to make ablution at home and wash hands for twenty seconds with soap before leaving for the mosque with masks on their faces.

They are also required to observe social distancing and refrain from any sort of gathering after the prayers.  There will be no gatherings for Iftar and Sehr in mosques during Ramadan.

It was decided the floor of the mosques will be washed with chlorine added water. For Namaaz-e-Taraweeh, it was decided that it will be offered within the premises of the mosques

 

 

 

 and not on the roads and footpaths. It was also agreed that mosque courtyards will be used for prayers instead of halls.

 

The President said that children and people above the age of 50 as well as those suffering from any disease including flu, fever and cough will not come to the mosques for prayers.  He said that Taraweeh can also be arranged at homes.

 

In the current circumstances, it was also recommended that people observe Aitakaf at homes. President Arif Alvi said that the administration of mosques will also establish committees in order to ensure implementation of these precautionary measures. He said the mosques’ administrations and Imams will also stay in touch with the district and provincial authorities and fully cooperate with them.

 

Addressing the media said he held a lengthy meeting in which a historic consensus was evolved after submission of recommendations and guidelines about Taraweeh prayers in view of the current Corona pandemic. He thanked the political leaders, governors, Chief Ministers and Ulema for helping in devising a comprehensive policy for the congregations and Taraweeh during the holy month of Ramazan. He also stressed upon the people to continue their generosity of Zakat and donations through the masajid and madaris in this holy month.

 

The meeting also prayed for the alleviation of miseries and sufferings of the Kashmiri people in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and the resolution of the issue.

 

The meeting was attended by Minister for Interior Brig. retired Ijaz Ahmad Shah and Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Pir Noor ul Haq Qadri, Chairman Islamic Ideology Council Qibla Ayaz and a number of prominent ulema including Pir Naqeeb ur Rehman, Allama Arif Wahidi, Pir Chiraghuddin Shah, Maulana Hafiz Ishaq Zafar, Mufti Gulzar Naeemi, Raja Nasir Abbas, Maulana Tanveer Alvi, Pir Aminul Hasnat Shah, Maulana Abubakar Siddique and Dr Sahibzada Sajid ur Rehman.