MURIC cautions against reopening of mosques

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has cautioned against planned reopening of mosques in Nigeria against the re-opening of mosques on the orders of Borno, Gombe and Zamfara states governments.

In a statement issued yesterday by Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, he maintained that the recent directives on reopening of mosques, was not wise, urging Muslims not to “rush to their graves.”

He said, “We must be on the side of caution regarding the deadly COVID-19 whose cure has not been found. Muslims should not rush to their graves. We suggest that mosques should remain closed until the Federal Government declares the country safe from the pandemic.

“We know that lockdown hurts, it hurts everywhere else. We urge Muslims to exercise patience. Those who die can never come back again. Neither can they be part of a safer and better Nigerian society when the lockdown is finally lifted. We must join hands with the rest of humanity to defeat COVID-19. No single community, group or country can fight the battle alone.”

“Re-opening mosques at this time can be interpreted as withdrawing from the battlefield and leaving the rest of the country to face the fight alone. It may also be interpreted as disobedience to Federal Government’s restriction on large gatherings and social distancing.”

Akintola stressed that the governments and people of Borno, Gombe and Zamfara states whose population is predominantly Muslim should be reminded of the need to be given fundamental right to life, which should not be violated through hasty and wrong decisions.

“The pattern of congregating in mosques may even be more prone to infections than in some other places. Unlike others who assemble for worship once in a week or once in a year, Muslims congregate five times daily, once weekly for Jumu’ah prayer and twice annually for festivals. The last three draw mammoth crowds,” he added.