Clerics call on Muslims to offer namaz at home amid COVID-19 outbreak

Muslims community should offer their Juma namaz (Friday prayers) in their homes till the lockdown continues, said Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, Chief Imam of All India Imam Organisation, on Friday.

New Delhi [India], Mar 27 : Muslims community should offer their Juma namaz (Friday prayers) in their homes till the lockdown continues, said Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, Chief Imam of All India Imam Orgsation, on Friday.

"I request my Muslim brothers and Imams in India to follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi's orders on lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus as there is no cure of this virus till date other than maintaining social distance," Ilyasi told .

He said, "Offering namaz is your duty and offering it in the masjid is Sunnat but saving your life and other lives are also your duty."

The Imams of more than 5 lakh mosques in the country were issued an order regarding closing the doors for the devotees amid the lockdown, he informed.

"I appeal to my Muslim brothers to offer namaz in their homes, including the Juma namaz. People can offer the Zohar namaz after 1:30 or 2 pm," he said.

He further said that the Azaan will be announced as usual and inside the masjid, only Imam, Nayab Imam, Nayab Imam second and workers will offer their namaz, including the Juma namaz.

Stressing on the importance of offering namaz in "your respective homes", Imam of Shahi Masjid Fatehpur Mosque Mufti Mukarram said that the Shariyat has allowed people to offer namaz in their homes.

Earlier, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) had urged the faithful to offer Zohar prayers at home instead of praying Juma at mosques in the view of novel coronavirus outbreak.

( With inputs from ANI )