Muslims return to Friday prayers in Scotland mosques after months

GLASGOW: Muslims across Scotland have returned to their mosque for Friday prayers for the first time since lockdown began.

Restrictions to guard against the spread of coronavirus are in place, including limiting the number of attendees to 50, taking contact details and wearing masks. At the Baitur Rahman Mosque in Haugh Road, Glasgow, numbers have been further limited to 25 initially and temperatures were taken before entry.

Bathrooms have largely been closed with people asked to instead perform ablutions at home beforehand. Those in attendance were also asked to bring their own prayer mat to avoid the risk of virus contamination.

Ahmed Owusu, a spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Glasgow, said is it a “blessing” that Muslims have been allowed to return to their spiritual home.

He told the PA news agency: “For a Muslim the mosque is pretty much your first home and your house is your second home. The opportunity given to us that we can go to our real home, our spiritual home, is definitely a blessing. As Muslims we give gratitude to almighty God for giving such an opportunity to us that we can return to the mosque.”

He said all the necessary precautions are in place and the building will be deep-cleaned following the service.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said he has been impressed by how mosques have responded to the pandemic. He tweeted: “First Friday prayers at the Mosque in almost 4 months for many -- Jummah Mubarak to all. “I have been impressed by how seriously Mosques are taking their public health obligations, must be strict that no more than 50 ppl allowed for communal worship, regardless of capacity.”