RECENTLY, while in the neighbourhood mosque for Fajr prayers, I saw some new faces. They belonged to the Tableeghi Jamaat and were there for obvious reasons. When I asked them how they managed to leave their destinations and go somewhere else in these uncertain times, they flatly told me they had come here rather secretly, or more precisely, against the directives of those who run this sort of affairs.

Such exuberant and naïve people don’t realise the fact that by moving to and fro in these virus-hit times, they are doing a disservice to Islam by disregarding the injunctions of Holy Prophet (PBUH) on the one hand, and putting the lives of others and their own at risk.

The government has perhaps not clearly announced that the movement of such people from one place to another is also banned just like the movement of other people until the virus threat is over. Hope this urgent call will be attended to by those who matter.

Dr Abdul Rehman Memon

Jamshoro

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2020