Ulema from various schools of thought held a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday to declare that the lockdown will no longer be implemented at mosques.

Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rahman said that Tarawih prayers and Itikaf will continue as per schedule. He called on people coming to mosques to practice social distancing. Meanwhile, Mufti Taqi Usmani urged the government to not arrest people from within mosques. “All those who have been arrested [for coming to mosques] should be released,” he said.

What precautions against the virus do the ulema suggest?

Ulema have called on worshippers to wear masks and perform ablution at their homes before coming to the mosques.

“Remove prayer mats from mosques and ensure sanitisers are available,”
Mufti Taqi Usmani instructed mosque administrators. Mufti Usmani regretted that people had not followed the government’s guidelines of no more than five people offering prayers in mosques. He called on people to implement the government’s safety precautions but said that for a Muslim, offering congregational prayers in Ramazan was obligatory. Usmani said that the elderly and sick should not come into the mosques and pray indoors. The cleric requested people to leave for their homes  and not gather in crowds following the conclusion of prayer.