Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman said on Saturday he would offer Taraweeh prayers at home during the holy month of Ramazan and practice social distancing keeping in view the coronavirus outbreak in Pakistan.

“I will take precaution and offer prayers, including Taraweeh prayers, at home,” he said during an interview to a private news channel. “I will try not to go to any mosque and be the cause of a public gathering there,” he said.

Fazl said he would offer prayers at home with his brothers and nephews. In response to a question, he said that the agreement between the government and the ulema should be respected. “In my opinion, when a consensus is developed on an issue, it should be respected,” he said. “My personal opinion then remains my personal opinion,” he added. The JUI-F chief said that he had presented his recommendations regarding SOPs for mosques during the month of Ramazan at a religious gathering in Karachi. He said that a forum was formed and their recommendations matched his.

Fazl said that suggestions from Indian Ulema on the subject were also similar and an Islamic scholar from Nepal was very clear that people should go to mosques to offer prayers in congregation.