Nizamabad: Muslims start prayers with social distancing

Nizamabad: Muslims began marking Ramzan with communal prayers on Tuesday in Nizamabad district but strictly following social distance, on contrary to the last year's situation where all the mosques remained empty. This was because last year the holy month was coincided with the start of corona pandemic and authorities and clerics urged Muslims to pray at home to avoid spreading the virus.

Last year, Muslims in Karimnagar, Jagtial, Peddapalli, Nizamabad, Bodhan, Adilabad and Kamareddy districts were quarantined on suspicion of being infected with the virus after going on Markazi pilgrimage.

In the wake of Covid second wave, Muslim scholars appealed to their community people to strictly follow anti-virus protocols and refrain from organising large gatherings in Nizamabad district. Ramzan prayers began on Tuesday night and fasting will begin from Wednesday in the erstwhile Nizamabad.

This year also, the government and local charities have planned to distribute Ramzan ration

kits for the needy and destitute families.

Wakf Board chairman Mohammed Saleem said that neither the State government nor the Central government had issued any directives suspending Taraweeh (night prayers) or restricting the number of people attending masjids.

Remindeding the importance of following Covid norms, he appealed to the masjid managing committee and Muslims to follow Covid protocol and those coming to the Masjid must follow the guidelines like bringing their own prayer mats, doing wudhu (ablution) at home avoiding use of toilets at the Masjid and maintaining social distance while performing prayers.