Worship places resuming operations is a recipe for disaster says Banjul Central’s legislator Muhammed Ndow.
“Gambia cannot containt the outbreak of covid-19. A month ago, it was only three cases now it it is 23. So we have to be very careful and think twice,” he said, weighing into the debate over extending the current state of emergency.
” It’s heart-breaking we have missed Friday prayers and Sunday Church Services almost 8-9 weeks. The life of a believer is more important to God than the Kaaba. If we have to force reopening mosques, we have to open the schools too. And that is we’re taking the risk to be infected with the Covid-19 or to even die. We cannot contain this. Most are suggesting we make social distancing at prayers. It is not possible here in The Gambia. Our worship places are not that big, Imagine 60 percent of the population pray outside because our mosques are small. So we have to think of all those things. We cannot open the mosques or churches,” Nodw said.
“What is the essence of forcing and reopening these places when our religion has made it easy for us to pray at home. Imagine the Kaaba have been closed 40 times because of security reasons and pandemic disease. We should have patience. We have to be rationale and not think only on one side. If you refer to the Sunnah, we are told we should stay at home during pandemic disease. People are going to funerals even now and forcing greetings. Even some of our national assembly members are going there. We should set examples. Me I don’t mind my electorates saying he is not coming to my programme. I cannot go out there and catch the disease and bring to my family or the national assembly and infect the honourable members. The prophet said “you cannot be a believer until you intend the good you intend for yourself to others.”
