Dear Community Members,

Asalaamun Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu.

We, Hujjat, Hyderi, Birmingham & Wessex Jamaat presidents are releasing this joint statement following independent and joint deliberations on the way forward for our centres during this next phase of easing of Covid-19 lockdown measures.

We closed our centres on or around the 5th of March, well before the Government guidelines and we have seen the benefit, alhamdulillah the cases of Covid-19 have been far fewer in our community then expected.

The Government guidance now is suggesting that Mosques and Islamic Centres can re-open from the 4th of July with a maximum attendance of 30 participants.

Our jamaats have similar risk profiles: chronic disease burden, age demographics, vulnerability status and a multi-generational homes. The re-imposition of local lockdown measures in areas such as Leicester must also be borne in mind. Our respective Covid-19 Taskforces have been extensively consulted throughout the
process.

We have therefore decided it is NOT SAFE to open our centres and to carry on all our activities including forthcoming Muharram programmes ONLINE ONLY. The remote delivery of programmes was well received over the month of Ramadhan so this will hopefully provide mu'mineen with an opportunity to engage with azadari safely. We also do not feel that it is safe at present to consider making concessions for Jamaat namaz or Jummah namaz.

We will continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds and focus on national and local information before reviewing our decision on an ongoing and regular basis.

Let us pray to Allah SWT with the wasila of our Ahlul Bayt to protect us as the azadar of Imam Hussain AS from this disease, to grant shifa-e-kamila to all those who have been affected and maghfira to those who have lost their lives in this pandemic.

Wasalaam,

Dr Munir Datoo | Hujjat

Br Gulamraza Datoo | Birmingham

Dr Liakat Dewji | Hyderi

Br Hasnain Nurmohamed | Wessex