Many Hafiz-e-Quran could not recite Quran in Taraweeh prayers due to Covid-19

PESHAWAR: Like other sections of the society, the coronavirus has badly affected the Hafiz-e-Quran and their teachers as they could not lead the Taraweeh prayers in Ramazan.

The newly qualified Hafiz-e-Quran lead the Taraweeh payers in Ramazan and their teachers and colleagues pray behind them to correct them if they make any mistake while reciting the Quran by heart. The Hafiz-e-Quran usually recited the Quran during the Taraweeh prayers in five, 10, 15 and even more nights.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, it was also a practice that many people unable to participate in the Taraweeh prayers in mosques invited Qaris to offer Taraweeh prayers in their respective hujras or houses. This Ramazan was the first one when majority of the people could not offer Taraweeh prayers in mosques. Instead they prayed at home, but could not arrange offering collective Taraweeh prayers due to coronavirus.

“I have been offering Taraweeh with my friends and relatives at the top portion of my house since long but could not do so this Ramazan,” said retired professor Shams. He added that he knew some of his friends had also stopped offering Taraweeh prayers due to coronavirus pandemic. The young Qaris and Hafiz-e-Quran consider it an opportunity to recite the Quran by heart repeatedly and also earn handsome amount in this sacred month. However, the coronavirus pandemic did not allow the newly graduated Qaris to do so.

Earlier, a Hafiz-e-Quran easily earned Rs20,000 to Rs60,000 by reciting the Quran by heart during Ramazan in three different mosques. Their teachers also earned some money. “My cousins and his colleagues usually earn about Rs60,000 in this month but now they were neither invited by the people of his previous mosques nor they could practice reciting the Quran by heart,” said Qari Siraj. He added: “This was the season for Qaris because they gain confidence and become bold besides earning some money. Though money was of secondary importance for them, they missed the opportunity for grooming.”

Another section of seminary students, who usually collect donations in mosques for their madaris could not continue collection in this Ramazan. The students and their madaris had no permanent donors and were dependent on such donations. This money was spent on buying food and books and meeting other requirements of their respective madaris but the coronavirus badly affected the helpless religious students. Qari Siraj said many seminaries did not collect donations because they usually sent letters to their permanent donors who generously donated and it was due to those donations that millions of students were getting religious education. The deplorable aspect of the story is that both the federal and provincial governments have totally ignored the students of seminaries while billions of rupees were announced for industrialists and poor section of society affected by the lockdown.

Mohammad Qasim, a researcher for Asian News Eyes, said the number of Qaris, Hafiz-e-Quran and their teachers was about 2.5 million and they deserved to be given relief packages and Zakat. He argued the PTI government could have better utilised the funds by including these students in the relief package. He said the government had been claiming to bring seminary students into the mainstream. He said the government could have brought these students into the mainstream but it missed the opportunity.