Hundreds of Valley mosques on Friday decided to use the pulpit for an unusual noble cause, to educate worshippers about the measures to fight novel Coronavirus .
This comes as the attendance in the Valley mosques showed no decline despite the advisory issued by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) to stay away from large religious congregations.
"Hygiene, the Prophet said, is an essential part of our faith. Time demands that people ensure that everyone practises proper hygiene to collectively fight the menace of Coronavirus. We need to follow the rule of isolating those contracted with the disease. Even during the past Islamic period, the prophet advised people against moving from places where any pandemic has spread to contain it," said Moulvi Niyaz Ahmad in a local mosque in Srinagar's Hawal area.
Unusually, reports pouring from major towns in north and south Kashmir suggested that the Friday sermon was focussed on causes and measures to fight COVID-19.
"Mosques have played important role in educating masses for centuries. Many of Ulemas did discuss beforehand about the thrust of sermons," said Moulvi Ahmad Shah Banday.
Dr. Muhammad Salim Khan, head of the community medicine, Government Medical College, said he made an appeal to all caretakers of the mosques "to restrict Friday sermon and prayer period to minimum time".
The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) carried out sterilization exercises around mosques before and after Friday congregation prayers in a bid to contain any spread of the virus.
SMC mayor Junaid Azim Mattu had asked people to stay away from large Friday gatherings. "I’m of the firm opinion that congregational Friday prayers should be avoided and disallowed. I request people to avoid congregational prayers," said Mr. Mattu.
However, his comments have come under attack from preachers. "This is nothing but interference in religious affairs and peoples' faith. The job of a mayor is keep the city clean and not regulate worshippers in mosques," said a senior clerk at a mosque near the Mirza Kamil Shrine.
