?When Coronavirus spreads, namaz becomes inevitable for Muslims? Kerala?s Islamic preacher rules out any proposal to ban namaz amid Covid 19 fears

Kerala’s controversial Islamic preacher and Sunni leader Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar said that there is no need to ban Friday namaz and Islamic prayers in Kerala in the wake of Coronavirus. The situation in Kerala has not worsened like other countries which banned Namaz and prayers, he said.

“The Friday namaz has been restricted or banned in several Islamic countries. However, in Kerala, such a situation does not prevail at the moment and there is no need to ban namaz,” Kanthapuram said.

“For Muslims, namaz and prayers are inevitable in such circumstances,” he said.

Kanthapuram said that he has already alerted the Islamic believers and instructed them not to use stagnant water for cleaning body and other purposes.

As of Sunday, 22 cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Kerala, the most in any state after Maharashtra. Among them is a 3-year-old boy who was confirmed positive on March 9. According to the Health Ministry of Kerala, there are 7,677 people under observation for symptoms of coronavirus currently.

Amid the coronavirus fears, Kerala government on Tuesday announced shutting down schools, colleges, cinema halls. The state government has also cancelled all public functions scheduled in March, in the wake of coronavirus (COVID-19).