Hawzah News Agency - (Cape Town - South Africa) - Masjidul Quds (Gatesville), Claremont Main Road Mosque, Shukrul Mubeen Mosque (Landowne) and the Azzawia Mosque (Walmer Estate) will temporarily close their doors for prayers due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

Masjidul Quds, Cape Town’s largest Muslim prayer facility, said that it would be temporarily closed from today.

Masjidul Quds spokesperson Sataar Parker said the closure would have a huge impact on the mosque, which accommodates around 5000 congregants a day.

He said the mosque would also look at the possibility of implementing a flu inoculation programme for the aged and underprivileged.

He said that despite the mosque’s temporary closure, the call to prayer and five daily prayers would still be made inside the mosque, but will be out of bounds for the public.

“There’s a bigger picture and it is that the pandemic is a worldwide issue and if we don’t do something about it now, it will come knocking on our door,” explained Parker.

Claremont Main Road Mosque announced that it was temporarily closed from on Monday.

“The most important public health principle is containment of the disease as far as possible through social distancing, avoiding social gatherings, minimising gathering in groups and public events, but also making daily choices to avoid going out in public.

“Closing the masjid is thus a form of social solidarity, promoting public health,” a statement released by CMRM’s board of governors said.

The daily call to prayer will be adjusted and the mosque’s board urges Muslims to conduct prayers in their homes.

Shukrul Mubeen Mosque announced that it would be closed until further notice and all activities and classes would be suspended.

The announcement was made on the mosque’s Facebook page.

Azzawia Mosque made an announcement on its Facebook page on Monday, that the daily congregational prayers and Friday prayers would be suspended until further notice.

It also said that a decision to move teaching online had been made.

The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) called an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss President Cyril Ramaphosa’s directives to combat the coronavirus and the impact it have on Muslim religious practices.

The MJC said mosques should not be completely closed for daily or Friday prayers.

They should, however, be restricted to a maximum of 100 people, in line with the president’s decree.

The committee said alternative venues for prayers should be sought.