Supreme Court judge Qazi Faez Isa has urged Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed to impose a temporary ban on congregational prayers on the top court’s premises in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
This was the second time that the SC judge had asked the CJP for the action. Previously, the CJP had asked him to back his proposal with a religious argument.
In the second letter, Justice Isa said he has yet not read any contrary view based on Quranic references which stated that irrespective of the danger to life, prayers in mosques should continue.
The matter should be decided as per the opinions of experts, he said, adding that “this community is also unanimous in stating that people should not congregate and should not attend places of worship”.
Giving reasons for his request to ban the gathering, he said the virus spreads from one person to another due to proximity and “in mosques, during prayer, we often touch strangers and do repeatedly touch our forehead to the floor, which many before have touched and breathed upon, and may after will do so”.
“Experts say that physical distancing has proven to keep people safe, avoid the spread of the virus and defeats it… experts inform us that the virus may survive on clothing and on all surfaces for days,” Justice Isa said adding that one is obligated to keep oneself safe too.
He added that one must not stop praying during the pandemic but only stop congregational prayers in mosques to minimize the danger.
“Congregating at a time when the virus is prevalent exposes oneself to infection, which one may take home and spread further afield; the resultant sickness, for which there is still no cure, and possible death,” he said adding that such a situation may be categorised as one of extreme hardship and danger.
“The virus has come knocking, we must not embrace or let it in,” he concluded seeking forgiveness if he misunderstood any of the Quranic verses.
Justice Isa also stated that he is preparing an Urdu translation in case the CJP wanted to share it with prayer leaders on the Supreme Court premises.
