Bangladesh clerics prefer to keep mosques wide open despite virus threats
Alems and Ulemas (clerics) want to keep all the mosques open amid undeclared lockdown in the united states to prevent coronavirus infection.
They have opined to keep carefully the mosques open also, if possible, in a restricted scale. Most of them have explained that mosques can't be closed if the problem deteriorates further.
The Alems and Ulemas expressed the opinions throughout a meeting with the officials of Islamic Foundation at Agargaon in Dhaka on Sunday.
The getting together with lasted till 3:00pm starting at 11:00am.
At many spots in Bangladesh, clerics continue offering collective prayers, ignoring the extreme health threats they pose.
Contacted, Islamic Foundation's director basic Anis Mahmud explained a meeting happened with the country's top rated Alems and Ulemas, but no decision had been reached. "We expect to reach a consensus on Monday. Undoubtedly, we will inform the mass media about our consensus," he stated.
The meeting was attended by Sholakia Eidgah Khatib Maulana Fariduddin Mashud, Shaikh Zakaria, Islamic Research Centre's director general Mufti Mizanur Rahman Sayeed, Mufti Delwar Husayn, Maulana Mahfuzul Huq, Dr Moulana Kafiluddin Sarker Salehi, Baitul Mukarram Mosque's senior pesh imam Mufti Mizanur Rahman, Pesh Imam Muhibullahil Baqui Nadvi, amongst others.
Islamic Foundation's DG and different senior officials were present at the meeting.
The Islamic Basis convened the meeting for the second time to know about the opinions of the clerics about the closure of the mosques in Bangladesh or request the devotees to avoid likely to the mosques.
A fatwa issued by the Grand Imam of Egypt's Al Azhar University recently permitting the suspension of Friday prayers to control the pass on of the deadly coronavirus and restrictions imposed by more than a few Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia on the citizens suspending collective prayers were brought up at the meeting.
Besides, the thoughts of several leading clerics living exterior Dhaka had been also heard over cell phones at the meeting.
Even so, the clerics declined to pay any specific heed to the fatwa of Al Azhar University's Grand Imam and the restrictions imposed simply by several Muslim countries' on the citizens to offer collective prayers at mosques.
The clerics attending the meeting asserted that all the mosques in Bangladesh should be kept open no matter what, if possible, in a limited scale. Mosques can't be closed in anyway even if the problem worsens even more, they said.
The clerics said azan (call to prayers) at the mosques should be continued. They asserted explained they would certainly not accept any argument either for closing the mosques or suspending the azan.
The Islamic Foundation is collectively trying to convince the Ulemas of Bangladesh to unanimously acknowledge temporarily halting congregational prayers, but no consensus has up to now been reached.
Earlier on March 24, the Islamic Foundation held another ending up in the Alems and Ulemas. In those days, three requests had been publicized taking their opinions. Those had been limiting the quantity of devotees at the congregations, going to mosques with satisfactory personal safety precautions, and requesting the ill, elderly and children never to go to mosques.
