Coronavirus effect: All mosques in Dushanbe may be closed 

All mosques in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, may be closed as a protective measure against coronavirus.  

An official decision on this subject has not yet been adopted but imam-khatibs have already called on parishioners to refrain from visiting mosques, Asia-Plus Media Group reports.

On March 3, imam-khatibs of some mosques in Dushanbe asked parishioners to temporarily refrain from visiting mosques.  

One of parishioners of the Mir Said Ali Hamadoni mosque, Sherali Davlatov, says, “The mosque imam-khatib Hikmatullo Rizoyev told us on March 3 that the mosque will be temporarily closed from March 4 as a protective measure against coronavirus.”    

Imam-khatibs of two other Dushanbe-based mosques have also confirmed the information about the possibility of temporary closure of mosques.  

Meanwhile, the Committee on Religion Affairs (CRA) under the Government of Tajikistan has not yet officially announced quarantine in the country’s mosques.  

However, CRA spokesman Afshin Muqim informed Asia-Plus that “a temporary quarantine situation will probably be announced in the mosques within the next few days.”  

He further added that similar decision had been adopted by other Muslim countries as well.