A coalition of senior faith leaders in England have challenged the government’s ban on communal worship, arguing that it has no scientific basis. A joint letter from the leaders of the country’s Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Sikh communities said: “We strongly disagree with the decision to suspend public worship during this time.”

They outlined the efforts they had made in the past six months to ensure congregations practiced their faiths safely and within coronavirus disease (COVID-19) guidelines, and that there was therefore “no scientific justification for the wholesale suspension of public worship.”

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has also strongly urged the government to reconsider the ban on communal worship. Harun Khan, secretary-general of the MCB, said: “It is disappointing the (British) Prime Minister (Boris Johnson) did not mention the impact on places of worship, leaving Muslims and other faith communities with inadequate guidance.

Source: Arab News