Prayers in mosques & Corona outbreak

Prayers in mosques in Pakistan and Corona outbreak 

Offering prayers in mosques in Pakistan during outbreak of Corona virus is a sensitive matter. We can only say that as outlined by scholars, certain precautions should be observed in mosques for offering prayers but they cannot be stopped altogether. 

We are observing some extreme reactions from people about this matter who are reacting very hostile towards those who go to offer prayers in mosques. They should know that we need to have an overall balanced approach to this issue. 

If some mosques are not adhering to safety measures during prayers then only those should be addressed.  But please NEVER try to ridicule or curse those who are offering their Salah in mosques where proper precautions are being undertaken. By doing so you might become an offender in the eyes of Allah and more so because basically you don't love Islam and hence your hostile reactions!

The other religious gatherings or processions by groups in Pakistan are unnecessary though in these times.

A verse from Qur'an, Surah Al-Baqarah is given below with Urdu and English translation:

SURAH BAQARAH AYAT NO. 114

وَمَنۡ اَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنۡ مَّنَعَ مَسٰجِدَ اللّٰهِ اَنۡ يُّذۡكَرَ فِيۡهَا اسۡمُهٗ وَسَعٰى فِىۡ خَرَابِهَا‌ؕ اُولٰٓٮِٕكَ مَا كَانَ لَهُمۡ اَنۡ يَّدۡخُلُوۡهَآ اِلَّا خَآٮِٕفِيۡنَ‌ؕ لَهُمۡ فِىۡ الدُّنۡيَا خِزۡىٌ وَّلَهُمۡ فِىۡ الۡاٰخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيۡمٌ‏ -۱۱۴

WITH URDU TRANSLATION

اور اس سے بڑھ کر ظالم کون، جو خدا کی مسجدوں میں خدا کے نام کا ذکر کئے جانے کو منع کرے اور ان کی ویرانی میں ساعی ہو۔ان لوگوں کو کچھ حق نہیں کہ ان میں داخل ہوں، مگر ڈرتے ہوئے۔ ان کے لیے دنیا میں رسوائی ہے اور آخرت میں بڑا عذاب

  ۱۱۴

WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION

And who doth greater wrong than he who forbiddeth the approach to the sanctuaries of Allah lest His name should be mentioned therein, and striveth for their ruin. As for such, it was never meant that they should enter them except in fear. Theirs in the world is ignominy and theirs in the Hereafter is an awful doom. ﴾114﴿ 

- S Roman Ahsan.