Coronavirus: Muslims join Catholics in stopping prayer services

The Malta Muslim Association, one of the main Islamic organisations in the country, has suspended all Friday and group prayers in all prayer places all over the island as from today.

“All Muslim community members in Malta must respect this precaution,” the association said, referring to the instructions of health authorities on people to avoid mass gatherings.

The association encouraged Muslims to pray at home.

The MMA offers prayer services at the Ospizio in Floriana which was offered to them by the government in 2016.

“The safety of every individual in society is highly considered in our faith,” the association said, calling on all those who returned from high risk countries to follow the mandatory quarantine.

The Catholic church has also cancelled daily and Sunday masses, as well as religious functions.

Churches, mosques, temples and synagogues all over the world are changing rituals in an effort to contain the spread of the virus.

A ban on foreign pilgrims to both Mecca and Medina is still in place.