Coronavirus: Jamiat urges Muslims to pray at home

Prominent Muslim body Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind on Friday appealed to Muslims to offer prayers at home instead of congregating in mosques amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Jamiat President Maulana Arshad Madani said he himself is offering prayer at home.

For daily prayers, he said Muslims should pray at home, instead of congregating in mosques.

Muslims are supposed to pray five times in a day at designated hours of the day.

"All people must avoid gatherings at any place, and follow the Shariah guidelines for the protection of human life," he said.

Earlier in the day, he said in the light of government directives issued regarding coronavirus, he would advise that people must avoid gathering in mosques on Friday as well and offer prayers at home.

"Only Imam, muezzin and three persons should offer Jumah prayers at mosque so that obligation can be fulfilled. It is our religious and social responsibility to protect ourselves and others from this harm," Madani said in a statement.

Madani lauded the community for adhering to appeals of clerics and offering the Friday prayers at home. He said it was praiseworthy that only 3-4 people, including imam and muezzin, prayed at mosques while others prayed at home.