Muslims worldwide have been advised to pray at home during Ramadan if their countries require social distancing to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The Saudi news agency SPA reported on Sunday that the advice was given by the kingdom’s highest religious body, the Council of Senior Scholars.
Ramadan begins later this week.
During the month, believers usually break their fast with families and friends and perform an evening prayer, known as Taraweeh, in large gatherings at mosques.
“Muslims shall avoid gatherings, because they are the main cause of the spread of infection…and shall remember that preserving the lives of people is a great act that brings them closer to God,” it said in a statement.
The kingdom’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh on Friday expressed the same sentiment.
He said that Muslim prayers during Ramadan and for the subsequent Eid al-Fitr feast should be performed at home if the coronavirus outbreak continues.
Saudi Arabia has reported 8,274 cases of COVID-19 and 92 deaths so far, the highest among the six Gulf Arab states.
The total number of cases for the region is 24,374 with 156 deaths.
The Saudi government in mid-March stopped people performing their five daily prayers and the weekly Friday prayer inside mosques as part of efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
Last week, the Prophet’s Mosque in the holy city of Medina said it was banning events that dispense evening meals in the mosque to those in need during Ramadan to break their daily fast.
Pray at home to avoid arrest, CAN tells members
By Kolade Adeyemi, Kano
The Chairman Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kano state chapter, Rev. Samuel Adeyemo, has declared over one million Christians in the state stayed at home to pray on Sunday to comply with the lockdown order.
He warned that anybody found flouting the order would be arrested and subsequently prosecuted.
However, all Churches were under lock and key as Christians in the ancient city complied with the lockdown order.
According to him, the lockdown order imposed by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje was necessary to stem the spread of COVID -19.
His words: “We members of state CAN, had passed the necessary circulars round to all Church leaders ,advised them on the need to tell members ,to obey the lockdown order ,hence ,any Christians caught in the process of not compiling by the order ,he/she be arrested and be prosecuted ,because he or she does not represent Christians “.
The spiritual head of Our Lady of Fatima Cathedral, Catholic church Reverend Father Micheal Adegbola said over 6000 parishioners were exempted from six banal weekly mass sessions.
According to him, the church was initially confronted with challenges in enforcing the lockdown order “because many members didn’t believe it but we had to educate and sentise our people to understand the dangers involved at this time, where people had to stay at home and pray.”
The gigantic First Bapist Church located on France was on Sunday placed under lock and key.
The Nation reports that at the ECWA church, the usual English, Hausa and Yoruba Sunday services were not also observed.
When this reporter visited the Living Faith Church at Sabon Gari, Deeper Life ,Redeemede Christian Church of God , ECWA and other Churches in the ancient city of Kano, all the auditoriums were empty as no Christian turned up for service.
It was also observed all the churches at Badawa quarters also complied with the sit- at- home order.