CII declares mosques as community centres

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) chairman Dr Qibla Ayaz Thursday declared mosques as community centres and providing help to the deserving people in support with prayer leaders of the respective mosques.

Briefing media about 219th meeting, he said the CII has also urged people to take precautionary measures to save themselves from coronavirus.

He said the CII has asked the media to avoid using the word ‘Halaak’ for a person who died from coronavirus, instead it  should use the word ‘Shaheed’ or ‘Jaan Bahaq’ for the deceased.

The funeral prayers of the persons killed by coronavirus will be offered by close relatives, however precautionary measures must be taken. The deceased should be buried as per Islamic traditions, he added.

CII contended that the amount allocated for performing religious obligations including Umrah, Ziarat, should be donated to the people who were facing financial problems due to coronavirus outbreak. Deserving persons belonging to minority community must be taken care of as well, he added.

Ayaz said the Government, philanthropists and civil society should join hands to help the deserving persons who had become jobless due to lockdown in wake of coronavirus.

He said the CII had endorsed government’s initiative to limit the Friday and five times congregations in the mosques to contain the spread of deadly virus. The CII contended that the sanctity of the life of human being is most important in Sharia.

He hoped that people will follow the government’s orders and prefer offering prayers at home by maintaining social distancing.

The council contended that the mosques must not be locked however, the number of people offering joint prayers must be maintained at minimum level, he added.

Dr Ayaz observed that coronavirus had no link with any sect, religion and pilgrims. Members of Tableeghi Jamaat had no role in spread of coronavirus and steps must be taken to negate the impression in that regard.

The council lauded the efforts being made to prepare vaccine to eradicate the deadly disease and termed such effort as great service to humanity.

The council urged the government to take measures to bring back stranded people in country and vice versa.