Mosques in Afghanistan have been urged to change a line in the azan – the daily Muslim call to prayer broadcast five times a day – and people have been reminded not to join congregational prayers due to the outbreak of coronavirus.
In a fatwa, the high commission of clerics for fight against coronavirus urged mosques to say “sallo fi rihalikum” or “pray in your homes” in azan.
It said that all congregational activities in religious sites are banned until the situation improves.
In provinces and areas where the virus has not spread to, people should maintain a distance of one meter from each other while offering prayers, according to the fatwa.
Earlier, Afghanistan’s Haj and Religious Affairs Ministry also urged people to avoid mosques during coronavirus lockdown.
Fazl Karim Siraji, the ministry’s director of mosques, said that they will not allow congregations in mosques during the lockdown.
