As per the latest news reports, Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque compound will remain closed throughout the holy fasting month of Ramadan amid the spread of Coronavirus. This was announced by the clerics recently.
Ramadan, expected to start late next week, usually draws tons of followers to the mosque every day and the adjoining Dome of the Rock for evening prayers known as Taraweeh. Referring to this announcement, Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, the Jordan-appointed council that oversees Islamic sites on the sacred compound, termed the announcement as ‘painful’.
Also, the statement underlines that the move was in line with legal fatwas and medical advice. The council emphasised that in view of the Coronavirus spread, Muslims should perform prayers in their homes during the holy month of Ramadan, for their own safety as well as to stop the spread of the virus.
Earlier, last week, Chief Religious Justice of Palestine Mahmoud al-Habbash decided that mosques in the West Bank will also remain closed during this holy month as part of the government’s measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. He stressed the need for performing prayers at homes rather than in mosques during this time of the pandemic.
Further last week, Jews marking Passover in Jerusalem and across Israel had to stay at home and celebrate only with immediate family. Those large Passover prayers at Jerusalem’s Western Wall, the holiest place where Jews are allowed to pray, also witnessed just a handful of people in attendance.
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