The COVID-19 Pandemic and Congregational Prayers

Massive Disruption and Personal Losses
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused massive disruptions in the lives of millions of people all over the world. First of all, there is the personal suffering of those who have had to cope with the loss of family members and other loved ones. The officially recorded death toll is close to half a million people, but the true figure is probably double that. Then, the livelihoods of countless millions—especially the world’s poorest—have been ruined or severely damaged. Moreover, the restriction of social gatherings has made it very difficult, or for some impossible, to offer and receive consolation during this time of distress, or to get relief from it. In particular, among the social activities that have been restricted, places for collective worship have been shut. Muslims have been deprived of prayers in the mosques, including during the month of Ramadan. They were not able to do itikaf in their local mosques, nor to celebrate Eid al-Fitr in the normal way.

Easing of Lockdowns Despite Ongoing Risks
Because of the heavy burden of the lockdowns—mainly the economic costs—restrictions are being steadily eased all over the world. This is happening even though, in many countries including the UK, experts in epidemic management are far from sure that the infection rate has been brought under control. Certainly in the UK, the numbers of people being admitted to hospital with COVID-19, although down from the first peak, have not decreased significantly. Yet the easing of the lockdown has begun. For example, Members of Parliament are now obliged to attend to parliamentary business in person, even though they had been able to do so effectively by remote attendance and voting. That is why people repeatedly ask whether mosques should be opened again, and how congregational prayers should be managed if people are to be at least two metres apart, as per official advice.

Ongoing Dangers and Islamic Principles
The first thing to keep in mind is that the virus—a microscopically small thing, barely classifiable as a living organism—is still around and circulating among the population, many of whom do not suffer symptoms themselves but can infect others. Secondly, there is as yet no vaccine to defend against the infection, nor any reliable treatment: some people can be helped to survive, others cannot, and there is no pattern to it. It follows that as the lockdown is eased, the cycle of infection may re-begin and escalate, perhaps rapidly and uncontrollably. Islamic law does not permit Muslims to harm themselves or others—certainly not at the risk of causing death—except under the most exceptional and unavoidable circumstances, such as saving or preserving life (what medical practitioners and their support staff do every day).

Therefore, we must ask: can attending congregational prayers in a mosque, during an epidemic, be considered an activity analogous to the unavoidable risk that medical personnel take in order to save lives?

Praying Anywhere on Earth
Jabir ibn `Abdullah narrates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “All of the earth has been made a place of salah and pure for me” (Sahih al-Bukhari). Abu Umamah related that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “All of the earth has been made pure for me and my ummah, and a place of salah” (Musnad Imam Ahmad). These and other hadiths make it clear that Muslims can pray anywhere, as the whole earth is a masjid, a place of sajdah. That is why prayer is as valid when done at home, at one’s workplace, or anywhere that is clean enough, as it is in a building raised by the community for that purpose and called a mosque.

Importance of Congregational Prayers in Mosques

That said, it is an emphasized sunnah for men, and commendable for women, to make serious effort to pray the obligatory five daily prayers in congregation. There are well-known hadiths stating that the reward for praying in congregation can be many times greater—25 or 27 times—than praying alone (Sahihs of al-Bukhari and Muslim). It is not difficult to understand why: praying in congregation means sharing with others, projecting to them, and broadcasting with them, one’s commitment to the religion and obedience to Allah. Necessarily, one shares in the virtue of others, and they in one’s own. This consolidates the habit of prayer in the community and preserves it. Congregational prayers can indeed be done at home or in the workplace, but mosques are privileged for that purpose because they are dedicated to it.

Abdullah ibn Masud said: “Whoever among you would like to meet Allah tomorrow as a Muslim, he should persevere in observing these five daily prayers wherever the call to them is made, for Allah has chosen for your Prophet the way of right guidance. And they are part of this right guidance. If you were to pray them in your houses, as one who stays behind in his house, you would be leaving the sunnah of your Prophet. If you leave the sunnah of your Prophet, you will go astray…” (Sahih Muslim). Many hadiths highlight the merits of praying in the mosques and warn those who deprive themselves of that merit.

1. Exceptional Circumstances
   There should be no doubt that in normal conditions it is a sunnah to attend congregational prayers in the mosques. However, under circumstances of necessity preventing attendance at a mosque, it is permissible to do the obligatory prayers wherever it is possible to do so. The Prophet (peace be upon him), while traveling and sometimes even while in Madinah, prayed in places other than the mosque.
2. Advice: Continue Praying at Home
   My advice, therefore, is that during this easing of the lockdown, people should not attend the mosque for congregational prayers:

• The risk of infection remains high. There is still significant risk of catching or transmitting the virus, regardless of the easing of the lockdown—an easing based on political and economic considerations, not solely on expert medical advice.
• Adhering to the recommended two metres distance violates the sunnah requiring worshippers to stand shoulder to shoulder, without gaps. Having gaps within the rows is strongly disliked. If Muslims pray in congregation only with others in their own household, they can properly observe the sunnah; if they pray in the mosques, they cannot.
• The inward meaning of prayer is qunut (calmness) and khushu` (attentive awareness of being before Allah). While the epidemic prevails, it is hardly possible to maintain such calmness—if someone in the congregation sneezes or coughs, it will provoke concern and anxiety, not tranquility.
• As attendance in mosques increases, keeping to social-distancing rules becomes practically impossible. Even if they do not touch one another, people will touch doors and walls, thereby spreading the infection.
• If one person catches the virus that way, likely without knowing it, they will carry it back to their families. As it circulates, it may prove lethal for someone. Are we willing to take responsibility for such an outcome if we take the risk (not compelled by necessity, nor saving a human life) of passing on the infection?

Conclusion: Wait for Better Conditions
Since, under prevailing conditions, praying in the mosques entails damage to the inward meaning of prayer as well as neglect of the outward sunnah of how the prayer should be done, I advise my fellow Muslims to continue praying at home during this period of eased lockdown. Mosques are meant for sharing and transmitting the blessings and virtues of prayer, not for sharing disease and death. Therefore, be patient until, by the will of Allah, the epidemic passes or a vaccine is developed.