‘Limited’ Tablighi ijtima with SOPs on Nov 5

The central shura of Talblighi jamaat has decided to organise the three-day annual international Muslims congregation (Tablighi Ijtima) in Raiwind, close to Lahore, for a very limited number of people because of the fear of the second wave of coronavirus in the country.

“In a recent decision taken by the elders at the Tabligh Markaz in Rawind, it has been decided that the government’s standard operation procedures (SOPs) and instructions would be followed during the congregation beginning from November 5,” reads an official statement issued on Thursday.

After the final supplications on November 8, the people would leave for their respective areas by following the same SOPs to halt the spread of Covid-19, according to the elders.

After consulting the local as well as foreign elders of Tablighi Jammat, it has also been decided that only 50,000 persons would be allowed to enter the site of religious gathering. “No foreigners would be invited or allowed to attend the annual congregation, which otherwise attended by over a million Muslims all over the world every year,” it reads.

During the Ijtimah, as per the decision, social distancing would be observed in the setting as well as in the sleeping areas. Elders at the regional Tablighi centres in Peshawar, Swat, Dera Ismail Khan, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Quetta and Karachi would decide participants’ names from their respective regions. According to the elders’ decision, the participants would have to get permission letters from their regional Tablighi centres that would be shown at the entrance of the congregation.

Once the participant entered the site of the congregation, they would remain inside the tent through the end. Food and water would be served at their sittings’ places while makeshift lavatories and place for ablutions have been arranged inside the tents.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2020.