Syed Hurairah
Hyderabad: The Tableeghi Jamaat was in a huddle on Friday. Throughout the day, there were meetings upon meetings and deliberations upon deliberations on the coronavirus, wabaa, as they called it in Urdu. On the one hand, there are jamaats from different countries, including those from South East Asia and Central Asia, and on the other, there were the Jamaat’s activities within the halqas. The local shoora was to decide what course of action to take.
As on Saturday afternoon, the Telangana government announced 21 cases of suspected coronavirus. These include several Indonesians who have ties to the Jamaat. They had travelled to Ramagundam from New Delhi on a train, and then to Karimnagar by road, and in a bus. They are not the only ones who tested positive for the coronavirus. Others, including those who arrived from UK and other places, too tested positive.
But the Tableeghi Jamaat, at this time, is under close watch. Police reached the Jama Masjid Mozzampura, their Marakz, in Mallepally two nights ago and reportedly detained several persons who are citizens of a country in Central Asia who were doing qayaam there.
Back to the shoora meeting. It was a mashwara session. The Jamaat lays emphasis on this practice and it reiterates time and again that this is a prophetic tradition. Several Tableeghis gave their opinions. Some spoke about what should be done with the international jamaats who are fanned out in masjids across the state. There was a mention of what a section of Muslims was saying, a closure of masjids. The outcome of the mashwara was communicated to the Global Markaz in Nizamuddin, awaiting further instructions. But the undercurrent was clear. Allah would take care of it all.
The Jama Masjid Mozzampura is within the jurisdiction of the Habeeb Nagar Police Station. Some of the zimmedaraan were in contact with them. Others spoke of a meeting with top police officers of the city.
A source who was aware of the meeting said that the meeting was serious. There are at least half a dozen international jamaats present in the state. A call was being taken directing them to stay put in host mosques. Others, who can be sent back to their home countries, depending on flight restrictions, will be flown back. It was also decided not to take a stand which is adversarial to any of the government’s decision and extend cooperation in connection with the coronavirus scare.