Coronavirus outbreak: Prayers at mosques, with fewer devotees, thermal scanners

A day after trustees of Haji Ali and Mahim dargahs announced that the shrines will be shut for devotees, Friday prayers were held at various mosques with limited

A day after trustees of Haji Ali and Mahim dargahs announced that the shrines will be shut for devotees, Friday prayers were held at various mosques with limited number of devotees and thermal scanners installed at entry points to check for temperatures.

HT Image

The development comes after civic officials and police officers met 50 representatives of the Muslim community on Wednesday and requested them to not hold Friday prayers amid the coronavirus outbreak.

However, community members denied the request stating that it was against the
Shariat, but agreed to cut down the number of people attending prayers.

At Bilal Masjid at Two Tank, thermal scanners were put up to check the temperature of devotees entering the mosque.

However, the pond at the mosque where community members perform wazu (washing of hands and legs before prayers), was shut and people were asked to do wazu from home before the prayers.

“We arranged the namaz in three phases, at 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. On an average, there were at least 3,000 people who attended the namaz. They were let in from three different gates for the screening,” said Maulana Syed Moinuddin Ashraf from Bilal Masjid .

However, the Bombay Archdiocese has decided to stop masses. While replying to a notice by the Bombay high court, the Bombay Archbishop
informed the court that mass at churches has been suspended till April 4.