The Indian government has been adopting various measures to make sure that the novel coronavirus spread can be contained at stage 2 and that we do not enter stage-3 or the community transmission stage of coronavirus. Stage-3 is the full epidemic stage in which the virus proliferates exponentially. To avoid this crisis, the government has appealed to the citizens to maintain social distancing.

However, in what could be seen as a complete disregard of the government orders and an absolute apathy towards fellow citizens, Muslims reportedly gathered in large numbers across the country to offer the Friday Mass prayer yesterday, reported News18.

Hundreds of Muslims thronged the streets in Mumbai to offer the Friday Namaz.

Muslims offer Friday prayers amid growing scare of coronavirus pandemic, in Mumbai.

Patna in Bihar too witnessed similar scenes.

Muslims offer prayers amid coronavirus pandemic, in Patna.

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Hundreds of Muslims offered the Friday Nazam in front of Nakhoda mosque amid the growing scare of the coronavirus pandemic in Kolkata.

Muslims offer Friday prayers on a road in front of Nakhoda mosque amid growing scare of coronavirus pandemic, in Kolkata.

Many Muslims gathered in a mosque in Srinagar to offer Friday prayers.

Muslims offer Friday prayers at a mosque in Srinagar.

Ironically, the Muslims who had collected in large numbers yesterday to offer Namaz, which in the given situation is the biggest threat, were seen distributing pamphlets, containing information on how to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Members of the Muslim community distribute leaflets, containing information on how to prevent the spread of coronavirus, after offering Friday prayers at Nakhoda mosque, in Kolkata.

As if all this was not enough that Muslim users have now taken to TikTok, the video-sharing social networking service, to encourage social proximity amidst the Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak.

At a time when social distancing is crucial to preventing the spread of the pandemic, these TikTok videos encourage people under the guise of Islamic teachings to indulge in risky social behaviour.

Earlier, A Muslim protestor by the name of Rizvana in Shaheen Bagh had said, “Washing hands regularly is part of our lifestyle. We offer namaz five times a day and we wash our hands every time”, suggesting how she was safe from COVID-19 despite being a part of a mass gathering.

In a viral video, one of the Shaheen Bagh protesters could be heard dismissing the looming threat of coronavirus by claiming that Corona emerged from the Quran. Several Anti-CAA protestors do not think that the pandemic is a threat because the Anti-CAA protests are supposedly a ‘call from Allah‘.

Novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 258 today after 35 fresh cases were reported in various parts of the country.