We live in a day and age where self-quarantining and social distancing are praiseworthy practices that are being enforced by the government. But does it apply to those being sought by the police?
Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad Khandhlawi it would seem is in self quarantine. He recently took to social media in the form of an YouTube audio clip to urge everyone to quarantine themselves and get themselves cleared medically.
The Tabhighi Jamaat event held in Delhi's Nizamuddin earlier this month, even as officials asked people to avoid mass congregations, has had a problematic ending. Many of the attendees have since tested positive for the novel coronavirus, and some of them have passed away.
On Wednesday an undated audio clip emerged, purportedly of Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad Khandhlawi encouraging people to gather in mosques.
"If you think you will die if you assemble in a masjid, let me tell you, there is no better place to die," he had said at the time. Lamenting the fact that people "can't even pray", he had added that "they" wanted people to stop praying so that it wouldn't add to their difficulties.
"We will only accept that doctor's advice who follows the path of Allah and fears the almighty," he declared. However, even such a doctor would be ignored if he gave them similar advice, he had declared.
But with thousands of followers in quarantine, and many others testing positive for the virus, Saad appears to have had a change of heart.
In a new video he asks followers to listen to officials and self quarantine themselves. Not only that, he now appears to believe that staying at home is the "only way to calm God's wrath".
"One should follow the advice of doctors and cooperate with the administration. Wherever our members are, they should follow the administration's orders," an NDTV reported quoted his audio clip to add.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Tablighi Jamaat conference may have affected over 9000 people. Several hundred people are now in quarantine across different states.
