Scholars urge caution amid pandemic on eve of Ramadan

By Mahmut Geldi

BEIRUT (AA) - Muslim scholars warned the Islamic world to follow strict precautions during the holy month of Ramadan to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives across the globe.

As part of the precautions against the epidemic, scholars warned Muslims to avoid organizing mass iftar -- fast breaking -- meals and not to hold Tarawih prayers -- special night prayers performed during Ramadan -- with public attendance at mosques.

Religious authorities have introduced ongoing temporary restrictions including the closure of the Grand Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) in Mecca and the Masjid al-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) in Medina, suspension of Umrah pilgrimages, Friday prayers and daily mosque prayers.

- Prayers without congregation

Abdul Rahman As-Sudais, the imam of the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia, and head of the General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques, announced that Tarawih and night prayers would be performed without public attendance at the Kaaba and Masjid al-Nabawi.

He also said that itikaf, the Islamic practice of secluding oneself in a mosque for continual prayer during the month of Ramadan, had also been banned.

- Masjid Al-Aqsa to be closed to worship

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem will also be closed to worship during Ramadan for the first time in its history in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus, the authority responsible for overseeing the city's Islamic and Christian holy sites said on Thursday.

The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf (Endowment) Council, a Jordanian-run organization, stressed that the decision was made in accordance with Islamic fatwas and medical recommendations previously announced.

The council announced on March 22 that prayers were suspended at Al-Aqsa due to the coronavirus.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. In Judaism, the site is known as the Temple Mount, and is believed to have been the location of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Sheikh Mohammed Hussein, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine, also said that mosques would be closed in the first days of Ramadan, adding that Tarawih prayers should be prayed at home.

- Turkey's 'Tarawih at home' message

Turkey's top religious authority also announced that Tarawih prayers would not be performed in mosques in the country.

"This Ramadan, unfortunately, we are not going to perform Tarawih prayers at mosques. Everybody can pray Tarawih prayers at home together with their family, spouses and children. Because the Tarawih prayer can be performed individually," Ali Erbas, head of Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) said in a news conference on Monday.

Tahir Tural, a member of Religious Affairs High Council of Diyanet, told Anadolu Agency that in the month of Ramadan it would be "very dangerous" due to epidemic to gather for collective prayers in common areas under apartments or in housing complexes.

- Ramadan advice from Saudi scholars

In a written statement, the Council of Senior Scholars, the highest religious authority in Saudi Arabia, also urged Muslims around the world to perform Tarawih prayers at home during Ramadan to help combat the virus.

The statement called for compliance to social distance rules to protect from the coronavirus: "Muslims must avoid gatherings, the main cause of the spread of the virus."

It added that Muslims should have their sahoor -- the meal before starting to fast -- and iftar at home in line with Islam's tenet of protecting others and own lives.

Saudi Arabian Grand Mufti Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh also announced that obligatory special prayers to commemorate the Islamic festival at the end of Ramadan would be performed at home if the epidemic continued.

- International Union for Muslim Scholars

Ali Al-Qaradaghi, head of the Qatar-based International Union for Muslim Scholars, said on social media that it would not be permissible not to fast during the month due to the coronavirus unless infected.

He said that those with medically confirmed suspicions that they could be exposed to the outbreak could be religiously exempt from fasting during Ramadan.

Recalling that mosques and places for prayer were closed in most parts of the world due to the virus, Al-Qaradaghi said Tarawih prayers had been performed by Prophet Muhammad both at home and in the mosque.

He also said that Muslims could pray Tarawih at home with their families, adding that imams, or prayer leaders, and muezzins, who make the call to prayer, could perform the prayer alone in the mosque.

- Measures taken against outbreak in Muslim areas

Iran was the first country to suspend weekly Friday prayers in the capital city of Tehran and 23 other provinces late in February when the country had registered 26 fatalities due to COVID-19 and 245 infections.

Kuwait and Iraq followed suit on March 13 banning Friday prayers and other prayers in mosques.

With the outbreak rampant in Iran and other Muslim countries, Saudi Arabia suspended Umrah pilgrimages to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina on Feb. 27.

Riyadh gradually expanded measures, closed all mosques in the country on March 20, including the Kaaba and Masjid al-Nabawi.

On March 16, the Directorate of Religious Affairs in Turkey also suspended Friday and other prayers in mosques until the virus risk subsided.

The novel coronavirus has spread to 185 countries and regions since emerging in China last December, with the U.S. and Europe being the hardest-hit areas in the world.

More than 2.65 million cases have been reported worldwide. The death toll has exceeded 185,000, while recoveries have surpassed 722,000, according to data compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

* Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev from Ankara