Morocco Bans Ramadan Prayers in Mosques Amid COVID-19 Concerns

In a statement published on Tuesday, on the occasion of the month of Ramadan, the Council indicates that "the protection of lives takes precedence over the fulfillment of religion". The reopening of the mosques will take place when "the conditions are met for a return to normal of the health situation in the kingdom".

According to the statement, "acts of worship to Allah, whatever they may be, are not deprived of rewards in case of inability to perform them; whether they are obligatory acts such as Hajj, or various authorizations dictated by Sharia, and a fortiori, for actions motivated by a sincere intention, but practically impossible to execute among the acts of the Sunnah, including the Tarawih and Eid prayers". In the crisis that Morocco is going through, to exempt oneself from these obligations remains a case of force majeure, reports le360.

Instead of performing the Tarawih in the mosques, the Council proposes prayer at home, individually or collectively, with family members, "without taking risks", noting that from the point of view of Sharia, "group prayer is that performed by more than one believer".

The Council recalls that Morocco, like all the countries of the world, has chosen the state of health emergency to protect itself against the pandemic. And the measures prohibiting gatherings are intended to limit "the risk of contamination threatening health, even life". This is why the Supreme Council of Ulema calls on the Muslim community to "stay at home and only go out in case of extreme necessity during the blessed month of Ramadan". This is the best way to contribute to the fight being waged to drive the coronavirus out of Morocco, it concluded.