French Mosque Offers Online Tarawih Prayers During Ramadan Lockdown

"People are invited to perform the Isha prayer at home, and to connect right after to follow the Imam in the Tarawih prayer," explains Issam Lyazidi, president of the Association of Muslims of Montigny-le-Bretonneux. "Our association, by its nature, has the duty and responsibility to seek only legal and authorized solutions in Islam, in the face of any new situation in Muslim jurisprudence," he says.

According to him, "this issue has divided Muslim scholars. While several recognized bodies leaned towards the prohibition of such a prayer broadcast and followed online, other scholars, such as Cheikh Hassan Dadaouo in Mauritania and Mr. Abdel Ali Masoule in Morocco, have put forward solid arguments that have reassured us in our choice to allow Tarawih prayers online".

However, Issam Lyazidi will specify that this is an exceptional solution in an exceptional time, with the detailed conditions and constraints in their opinions. Under normal circumstances, this would not necessarily be authorized. Moreover, the Montigny-le-Bretonneux mosque had in the meantime opted for online zakat.