Ulema ask people to take precautions against virus

LAHORE:Ulema and Mashaikhs from different religious schools of thought appealed to public to offer Sunnah prayers and make Wudu (ablution) at home while leaving for Juma prayers in mosques.

Leadership of different religious schools of thought including Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council, while addressing a press conference here on Thursday appealed to public to say Sunnah prayers at home on Friday and make Wudu at home while leaving for Juma prayers in mosques.

Clerics said mosques in Pakistan will not be locked down, adding that public should seek precautionary measures to stay safe against COVID-19 pandemic. The clerics of different religious schools of thought also urged Imams and Ulema to shorten Juma sermons by limiting the sermon only in Arabic language.

The clerics urged mosques administrators to ensure Friday prayers in open air of Masajid. The clerics refuted rumours relating to lockdown of Masajid in the country, stating elements aim at making anarchy in the country in wake of coronavirus.

Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi was flanked by leading Ulema and scholars including Pir Asadullah Farooq, Qazi Matiullah Saeedi, Syed Ziaullah Shah Bukhari, Maulana Muhammad Khan Leghari, Pir Mehfooz Mashadi, Maulana Zubair Abid, Maulana Shafi Qasmi, Allama Younis Hassan, Allama Tahirul Hassan, Qari Javed Akhtar, Allama Ghulam Akbar Saqi, Qari Javed Akhtar Saqi, Maulana Muhammad Hanif Bhatti, Mufti Muhammad Umar Farooq, Maulana Aseedur Rehman Saeed, Maulana Abdul Qayyum Farroqi, Maulana Zahid Kazmi, Maulana Abdul Hakim Athar and Qari Mubashar Raheemi.

The clerics stated seminaries all over Pakistan have been closed and education in all seminaries will start after Ramazan. The religious scholars also appealed to philanthropists to assist general public to ensure availability of basic commodities of life.

The clerics demanded of the government machinery to ensure action against hoarders and merchants responsible for artificial inflation in the country. The clerics appealed to public to restrict social coordination by seeking precautionary measures to stay safe against coronavirus.

The entire nation has been passing through a critical crisis, said the clerics, adding with unity and caring conduct, we can defeat this pandemic. Prayer rows should be made with sufficient added distance and floors of Masjid as well as halls of the mosques should be cleaned with detergents.

Ulema and Mashaikhs urged elderly people to say Friday prayers at home and appealed to people to remain vigilant against rumour mongers. Responding to a query, Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi said situation relating to outbreak of coronavirus is not as alarming as in Saudi Arabia, adding Saudi authorities had announced policy in accordance with the situation in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia relating to coronavirus pandemic.

Saudi authorities have taken on board Ulema and clerics ahead of adopting strategy against coronavirus pandemic, said Tahir Ashrafi. helpline: A helpline has been launched on the social media site “Skype” by Lahore General Hospital to introduce online health services to prevent coronavirus and protect the citizens from the infectious disease.

People can contact online at LGH Corona Helpline on Skype to seek health advice from doctors about the coronavirus' essential remedies, symptoms and treatment. According to Postgraduate Medical Institute Principal Muhammad Alfreed Zafar, the purpose of the service is to limit the movement of civilians and prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Prof Al-freed Zafar said that information was also being provided to the citizens at Lahore General Hospital through a megaphone service.