Male’, Maldives — The Health Protection Agency has decided to place social distancing markers in the mosques in Male’ area as a protective measure against Covid-19.
The Islamic Ministry of Maldives had taken the decision to perform daily prayers with social distancing in the Male’ area on March 1st. With this, the city council of Male’ city has started placing social distancing markers in the mosques.
The statement released by the Islamic Ministry stated that as the Covid-19 virus is spreading at a fast rate in Maldives, several authorities have informed the Ministry that the Covid-19 situation seems to be getting worse day by day.
This is why, the Islamic scholars have discussed regarding the current pandemic situation in Maldives and have decided that starting from today’s afternoon prayer, the daily prayers held in Male’ city will be performed with social distancing until the city is more safe from the current Covid-19 situation.
The Ministry informed that the decision to continue daily prayer with social distancing instead of closing down the mosques is because several Islamic Scholars had advised that closing down the mosques would greatly sadden the citizens reasoning that, it is better to carry out daily prayers with social distancing until the Covid-19 situation gets better.
While the Islamic Ministry had decided to carry out daily prayers with social distancing as a protective measure against Covid-19, several citizens and Islamic Scholars have criticized this movement saying that praying with gaps in between each other is not encouraged and has never been done in Islamic religion. However, others counter that muslim countries including Saudi Arabia are following social distancing prayers at present due to the pandemic.
