Fatwa No : 40619
the spread of Covid is possible if the worshipers stand together

the spread of Covid is possible if the worshipers stand together

Mosques are now re-opening. However, in many parts of the world, the government are saying that a gap of 2m must be maintained between worshipers. This is against the explicit command of the Prophet. Will Salah still be accepted and valid?

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

It is Sunna, and also part of the completion of the prayer, for the worships to stand close to each other during the congregational prayer. The Holy Prophet used to encourage people to do this. He also warned about leaving spaces between the lines during Salah. For this reason, if is it possible to stand together during Salah while observing precautionary measures, then the way of the Sunna should not be left off. However, precautionary measures cannot be observed and the spread of Covid is possible if the worshipers stand together, then hopefully there will be so sin in standing with some distance between one and other to observe precautionary measures, and Salah in this condition will also be valid.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

وفی مشکوٰۃ المصابیح: وعنہ قال: قال رسول اللہ ﷺ: ’’سوّوا صفوفکم فإن تسویۃ الصفوف من إقامۃ الصلاۃ‘‘ إلا أن عند مسلم: ’’من تمام الصلاۃ‘‘۔ (ج۱، ص۳۴۰)۔

وفی عمدۃ القاری: وکذلک الحق بذلک بعضہم من بفیہ بخر او بہ جرح لہ رائحۃ، وکذلک القصاب والسماک والمجذوم والابرص اولی بالالحاق، وصرح بالمجذوم ابن بطال، ونقل عن سحنون لا اری الجمعۃ علیہ واحتج بالحدیث، والحق بالحدیث کل من اذی الناس بلسانہ فی المسجد، وبہ افتی ابن عمر رضی اللہ عنہ، وہو اصل فی نفی کل ما یتاذی بہ۔ الخ (ج۶، ص۱۴۶)۔ واللہ اعلم بالصواب