Muslim Council Dimapur on Monday issued an advisory to all stranded Muslims not to return to Nagaland at least for the next two months or till the time when the government declares the COVID19 situation as normal.
The council said the proposed quarantine centre to be set up by the community in collaboration with the administration stands cancelled, for now, informed Muslim Council Dimapur working president Ahidur Rahman.
The council arrived at the decision after holding consultation with the community elders, Dimapur Masjid committees, and Kohima Jame Masjid Committee on the situation that might arise after the arrival of the stranded Muslims in Dimapur and Kohima from Assam and other parts of the country.
“This decision is taken collectively by the Muslim community in the greater interest of the community and for the safety and wellbeing of all citizens of Nagaland. Let us all join together to keep Nagaland a safe place without the deadly coronavirus,” Rahman said in a statement.
The council quoted an Islamic “hadith” about a pandemic more than 1400 years ago by Prophet Muhammed: “When you hear a plague is in a land, do not enter it and if the plague breaks out in a place while you are in it, do not leave the place.”
The council appealed to all to abide by this to overcome the COVID19 pandemic.
Expressing sympathy with the members of the community, particularly the students, stranded outside the state, the council said it would try to help them out in any other ways or request the state government to help those in need.
The council said most of the stranded Muslims of the state have registered their names with it and the Kohima Jame Masjid Committee recently.