Fawad Chaudhry is clearly not going to let Mufti Muneeb have the last word.
Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman and other clerics held a press conference talking about the fact that congregational prayers are obligatory on Muslim men in Ramazan and hence mosques should be open and operational during the holy month.
The ulema gave their own guidelines on how they could conduct congregational prayers while reducing the risk of Covid-19 and tried to justify their stance. They asked that the government release all those arrested for going to congregational prayers.
Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry just expressed his disappointment with the press conference and Mufti Muneeb
In a major shade throwing move, he stated that Mufti Muneeb in the past had failed to spot something as big as the moon so how could he expect to see something as microscopic as the Covid-19 virus?
He went on to chide the religious committee for not taking governmental orders serious, saying that they were setting a bad example for the public by doing so.
مولانا منیب الرحمنٰ ہمارے بزرگ ہیں احترام ہے لیکن ان کو اتنا بڑا چاند نظر نہیں آتا اتنا چھوٹا کرونا وائرس کہاں سے نظر آنا ہے، وزارت مذھبی امور کی توجہ دلائ ہے کہ آپ کی وزارتی کمیٹی کے سربراہ اگر حکومتی احکامات کا یوں مذاق اڑائیں گے تو باقیوں سے کیا توقع؟
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) April 15, 2020
While Covid-19 had rendered public gatherings impossible, there would be no preparations done for a chaand raat gathering for the holy month this year. But Fawad added, that hopefully they could welcome the month next year as a congregation if the situation permitted them to do so.
جہاں تک رمضان کا تعلق ہے 24 اپریل کو رمضان کا چاند نظر آجائیگا اور انشاآللہ 25 اپریل کو پہلا روزہ ہو گا۔ پہلے ارادہ تھا اس بار لوگوں کو اکٹھا کریں گے چاند دیکھنے کیلئے لیکن اب کرونا نے ہر اجتماع کینسل کرا دیا۔ انشاللہ اگلے سال موقع ملا تو چاند رات کی تقریبات کریں گے۔
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) April 15, 2020
A lot of people applauded Fawad Chaudhry for his well put statement.
Thanks heavens at least someone is using sense
— Marvi Sirmed (@marvisirmed) April 15, 2020
I support you and strongly agreed with you
— Asim Naz (@aaimnaz12) April 15, 2020
But there were many who were upset and thought this was disrespectful towards the cleric. So much so that a hashtag in the Mufti’s support was the number one trend on Twitter.
we stand with you. #WeStandWith_MuftiMuneeb
— Aziz Ullah Khan (@Azizullahachak) April 15, 2020
جرات و بہادری
منیب الرحمان قادری ❣️❣️
#WeStandWith_MuftiMuneeb— Nadir Ahmed (@NadirAhmed01) April 15, 2020
This is not the first time Fawad Chaudhry and Mufti Muneeb and his committee has butted heads. In the past when the government launched their app ‘The Ruet’ which was a moon sighting app to help people determine when religious events would fall, the committee was enraged. They were upset that the government was letting technology forecast events when it was their job. Fawad Chaudhry referred to the app subtly in his next tweet as well, saying he already knew Ramazan would fall on the 25th of April.
It is still not completely clear whether mosques will be open and operational for congregational prayers in Ramazan. Officials are saying they will release some sort of official statement after consulting with the “ulema” but we can hope some sense prevails among those making this decision.
What do you think about Mosques being open during a global pandemic? Let us know in the comments below.
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Cover Image Source: nation.com.pk / pakistantoday.com.pk