BENGALURU: The
Karnataka Auqaf Board
on Wednesday said that a collective decision has been taken after a high-level committee meeting involving various religious heads, doctors and other experts that proper precautions be taken at various mosques to prevent further spread of
Covid-19
.
From cutting the duration of
Friday prayers
to urging people to pray from home, a series of directions have been issued.
"Heads of masjids and Imams are requested to conclude the entire
Jumma congregation
in 15 minutes for the next three weeks and avoid using public microphones for the Jumma Khutbah and Salah. Muslims coming for daily prayers should be instructed to perform wadhu from home and use their own prayer caps," a statement issued by the board reads.
It further instructs masjids to remove public towels and prayer caps from the premises, and urged people to offer Sunnah and
Nafil prayers
from home. "Please ensure cleanliness and good hygiene in the masjid, keep carpets, prayer mats and floor mats clean. The toilets and sewage area must be cleaned every day," the statement adds.
Laying stress on making soaps and hand-wash available, the Board has said that the Madrasas be closed as per the directives from the government on closure of schools and colleges. "Large crowds will not be allowed to stay, Friday sermons should be shortened to 20 minutes," it further added.
At the usually crowded Sri Banashankari Amma Temple on Kanakapura Road, the number of devotees visiting it has dropped drastically. A temple official said: "The crowd coming to the temple has fallen by nearly 60 %. Those who are visiting are taking their own precautionary measures such as wearing masks and bringing hand sanitizers. We will comply with government guidelines if any."
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