By Abdul Hafiz Lakhani Ahmedabad
Close on the heels of Gujarat government on order about strict implementation of Disaster Management Act in view of the COVID-19 pandemic during all upcoming religious festivals, question arises that will Azan be stopped now in State? The order prohibited any public gathering for religious activities such as puja or bandgi and banned the use of loudspeakers. It also appealed to the community and religious leaders to create awareness on the effective implementation of lockdown.
The order, issued by the Home Department, says that it has been issued for the strict implementation of lockdown during all upcoming religious festivals because, “to control the impact of COVID-19, social distancing is very necessary”.
It said that as per the orders framed by the National Disaster Management Authority under the provisions of The Disaster Management Act, the relevant prohibitions imposed by the central government would be in force till further orders are issued. Any religious activity in which people assemble will be prohibited and use of loudspeaker or any other medium for the same will not be allowed.
Gujarat is the second worst affected state after Maharashtra with 3,548 positive cases and 162 deaths.
The circular says that “All kinds of public religious activities/puja, bandgi (both meaning worship in Hindi and Urdu) or any such activities that leads to assembly of people is not permitted and use of loudspeakers or any other medium for these purposes is banned.
Any religious activity can be undertaken privately or individually, it said, adding people cannot assemble for any reason, including having food or snacks, after performing a religious activity privately or individually.
It specifically appealed to the religious and community leaders to create awareness about the effective implementation of lockdown and to ensure that people do not assemble for religious activities.
Violation of any prohibitory order issued by the Central government under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, will be subject to penal action under the legislation, said the order.
According to Mujaheed Nafees, convener of
Minority Coordination Committee,
The issue of Azaan from mosques is very pressing due to the ongoing month of Ramzan when Muslims fast and break their fast on hearing the azan. Loudspeakers should be continued even at low desible. azaan should not be banned from mosques while mosques will continue to meticulously follow the Covid19-restrictions on permitted numbers of people for any gathering and social distancing. No congregational prayers are being held in Gujarat since the lockdown but azaan continued.
According to local Gujarati daily, Sandesh that loudspeakers will not allowed for Aarti in Temples and for azan in Masjids.
If Muslims could hear/listen-to azaan without loud-speaker in the life-time (during hayaat e baa barakaat) of Rasool (SAAW) and, thereafter, till about a hundred years ago (when loud-speakers came), why should loud-speakers be essential for azaan now ? More-over, in one locality there are many masjids and when azaan is broad-cast on a loud-speaker from each of these masjids, the noise is needless. And then all other religious groups / communities do the same creating needless noise. When the ORDER is for all to religious-groups / communities to avoid loud-speaker, Muslims should be the first to glady accept it, abide by it and set a good example for others to follow. There should be no ‘agar, magar’ ot ‘kintu,parantu’ or ‘if & but’ in this.
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