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Indonesia: Islamic revival assembly halted over coronavirus, 9000 quarantined

Mar 20, 2020 2:00 pm By Christine Douglass-Williams

In another case of conflict between Islam and modern science, “Indonesia halted a mass congregation of nearly 9,000 Muslim pilgrims and began quarantining them and checking their health Thursday to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus amid a spike in cases,” but the cancellation has caused conflict and distress among the devoted.

Sentot Abu Thoriq, a member of the organizing committee, said he regretted the government’s decision to reject the event that had been planned more than a year ago. He said those who are ill have been told to stay away, and noted that those arriving would have passed stringent health checks at the country’s airports and sea ports.

“The decision and the treatment is clearly against our faith and hurt us,” Thoriq said. “Health, illness or death is God’s destiny, we believe that God will bless and protect those who are devout.”

The event was organized by Jamaat Tabligh (more commonly known in the West as Tablighi Jamaat) — “a global Islamic missionary movement which urges Muslims to return to the way Islam was practiced during the time of Prophet Muhammad.” That same movement held a similar event in Malaysia — called Tablighi Ijtema — that ended up branded as the “ground zero” for coronavirus outbreak in South East Asia. “11 out of 12 people who tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus on March 16 in Cambodia” had attended Tabighi Ijtema.

An update on this story. “Indonesia halts Islamic assembly, quarantining 9,000 people,” by Niniek Karmini and Eileen Ng, Associated Press, March 19, 2020:

MAKASSAR, Indonesia — Indonesia halted a mass congregation of nearly 9,000 Muslim pilgrims and began quarantining them and checking their health Thursday to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus amid a spike in cases.

The four-day gathering at a boarding school in a rural area in south Sulawesi province wasn’t approved by authorities and drew fears it could spread the virus widely in the world’s fourth most populous nation.

It was organized by a Muslim missionary movement, Jamaat Tabligh, which held a similar event in Malaysia three weeks ago that has been linked to nearly two-thirds of that country’s 900 infections as well as dozens of cases in other nations.

South Sulawesi Gov. Nurdin Abdullah said medical teams screening more than 8,600 participants found a local man with fever who was taken to a hospital.

“We’ve worked hard in dealing with this issue, involving religious leaders and security forces. We have told the pilgrims that we are in an emergency state of coronavirus and only common discipline can break the COVID-19’s wide spread,” Abdullah said.

The move came as Indonesia reported six more deaths for a total of 25, the most in Southeast Asia, and its biggest daily jump of 82 cases to 309.

Pictures and videos posted by some participants on social media showed long rows of blue makeshift tents on a field at the school. Devotees in long white robes and skullcaps sat close to each other or slept on mats on the ground.

Sentot Abu Thoriq, a member of the organizing committee, said he regretted the government’s decision to reject the event that had been planned more than a year ago. He said those who are ill have been told to stay away, and noted that those arriving would have passed stringent health checks at the country’s airports and sea ports.

“The decision and the treatment is clearly against our faith and hurt us,” Thoriq said. “Health, illness or death is God’s destiny, we believe that God will bless and protect those who are devout.”

The committee chief later said it accepted the government’s decision for the safety of all.

The cancellation surprised some participants who arrived early Thursday.

“I didn’t know about that,” Indonesian Muhammad Sayid told Kompas TV upon arrival at a bus station in the area. “This is a very important agenda for us and has been long awaited.”

Abdullah said 411 foreigners from nine countries including Malaysia, Singapore and Saudi Arabia will be quarantined at a hotel. They will be allowed to leave later based on their ticket dates. Indonesians will be escorted to their home villages or must stay in a government dormitory, but quarantine is compulsory for 14 days once they reach home, Abdullah said.

Indonesia’s swift move could help prevent an outbreak like in Malaysia, which on Wednesday sealed its borders and shut schools, businesses and government offices in a two-week lockdown. A Malaysian man who attended the mass Islamic event was among two people in the country who died.

With participants in the Malaysian event huddled together for prayers, sermons and sleeping in a confined space as well as communal eating with hands from shared trays, the virus spread unnoticed during the four-day gathering involving 16,000 people, including from the former pandemic hot spots of China and South Korea. The outbreak from the Malaysian gathering came to light nearly two weeks later when Brunei reported its first cases involving citizens who had returned from the event. People from Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam also were infected.

“I didn’t know about that,” Indonesian Muhammad Sayid told Kompas TV upon arrival at a bus station in the area. “This is a very important agenda for us and has been long awaited…..

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Filed Under: Featured, Indonesia Tagged With: coronavirus, Jamaat Tabligh, Makassar, Nurdin Abdullah, Sentot Abu Thoriq


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Comments

  1. Dude says

    Mar 20, 2020 at 2:13 pm

    Good plan, and I’m sure some idiot imam has already considered it. Since no one can go to paradise, past, present or future until all non-muslims are dead, let’s just kill everybody today and claim eternal sensuous pleasure, right now!

    Let the whole world die from corona. Seize the glory by contracting and then spreading the virus to every corner of the planet. Corona akhbar!

    THIS IS HOW STUPID OUR ENEMY IS

  2. CogitoErgoSum says

    Mar 20, 2020 at 2:22 pm

    I find it hard to believe that being devout means helping spread an infectious virus that brings illness and possible death to others. Nope, I think a person can still be devout without doing that. You can say your prayers in private and in solitude and still be devout. Why be disappointed that only you and God will know it? If you are disappointed with that — you are just some kind of show-off.

    • Peter35 says

      Mar 20, 2020 at 2:57 pm

      Ah, but the ‘in your face crowd’ couldn’t possibly get down on their prayer mats in their houses and raise their grubby arses to allah, oh no; they have to get out and block the streets in their thousands, while curious hordes of kafirs stand around watching……… duhhhh?

  3. ELI says

    Mar 20, 2020 at 3:01 pm

    “The committee chief later said it accepted the government’s decision for the safety of all.”

    That’s it, end of story. Why is this different from any government cancelling any other religious or sporting event? This is a non-story as the event was cancelled and that’s it.

    • gravenimage says

      Mar 20, 2020 at 7:12 pm

      The difference is that pious Muslims are saying it is against their faith to cancel large religious gatherings. ELI here is always upset whenever anyone says anything critical of Muslims. Interesting.

      • GreekEmpress says

        Mar 20, 2020 at 7:17 pm

        Wasn’t the organizer Jamaat Tabligh
        one of the groups that Philip Haney was investigating before his death?
        Do you or Mr. Lincoln know more about that?

        • gravenimage says

          Mar 20, 2020 at 7:25 pm

          You are quite right about Philip Haney and Tablighi Jamaat, GreekEmpress. Here are some of his findings:

          https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/06-28-16%20Haney%20Testimony.pdf

          And this has been recognized by savvy Anti-Jihadists as a Jihad terror group for some time now. This, from 2005:

          “Tablighi Jamaat: Jihad’s Stealthy Legions”

          https://www.meforum.org/686/tablighi-jamaat-jihads-stealthy-legions

          (it is known as both Jamaat Tabligh and Tabligh (or Tablihi) Jamaat).

        • James Lincoln says

          Mar 20, 2020 at 8:47 pm

          GreekEmpress,

          Yes, Philip Haney had investigated them. He described Tablighi Jamaat as part of a “trans-national Islamist network” with significant presence in the United States.

          And he noted that Al Qaeda had used them for recruiting…

      • GreekEmpress says

        Mar 21, 2020 at 11:45 am

        Thanks GI and Mr. Lincoln!

    • Carol the 1st says

      Mar 21, 2020 at 9:03 pm

      Eli…and when informed of the huge outbreaks following their last ‘gathering’, Sayid barely missed a half-beat (as is typical of so many):

      “I didn’t know about that……This is a very important agenda for us and has been long awaited.”

  4. DHazard says

    Mar 20, 2020 at 4:31 pm

    Religion, reluctantly and without explicit backing, caves in to reality. But people make bad decisions when confused by conflicting messages.

  5. Madge Hirsch says

    Mar 20, 2020 at 5:19 pm

    Christians are no better. The biggest outbreak here in France centred round an Evangelical mega church in Mulhouse that held a 2000 strong fasting and prayer fest at the beginning of Lent. Giving total strangers the kiss of peace and holding hands to pray. They then spread the virus back to other parts of France. Some had come from Italy probably bringing the virus with them. Height of irresponsibility.

    • gravenimage says

      Mar 20, 2020 at 7:20 pm

      There was a sum total of 18 cases in all of France at the beginning of Lent–Coronavirus was not considered much of a threat at that time. Infidels, including Christians, have generally been quick to adhere to new strictures as soon as they have been implemented.

      • ELI says

        Mar 20, 2020 at 8:07 pm

        That is not true, the French has had crack down very recently because many people were ignoring the directive to self isolate. What do you think happened in Italy? Islam;s fault again?

        • gravenimage says

          Mar 20, 2020 at 8:33 pm

          The idea that the spread of the Coronavirus in Italy has been to violent Christians flouting strictures on social isolating in the name of their faith is absurd.

          And no one is blaming Muslims being primarily responsible for the spread of the disease in Italy. That ELI is pretending this is the case is very telling, though.

        • Carol the 1st says

          Mar 21, 2020 at 9:24 pm

          Eli…there’s a difference between those naturally selfish and stupid and those others who think they belong to a club so holy that endangerment of all – especially those unadorned with such fanciful garb – is beneath your care or consideration. This ‘special’ group NEEDS to be singled out and brought to the attention of the skeptical. Yes, Virginia, there really is a BAD SANTA!

  6. gravenimage says

    Mar 20, 2020 at 7:08 pm

    Indonesia: Islamic revival assembly halted over coronavirus, 9000 quarantined

    Sentot Abu Thoriq, a member of the organizing committee, said he regretted the government’s decision to reject the event that had been planned more than a year ago. He said those who are ill have been told to stay away, and noted that those arriving would have passed stringent health checks at the country’s airports and sea ports.

    “The decision and the treatment is clearly against our faith and hurt us,” Thoriq said. “Health, illness or death is God’s destiny, we believe that God will bless and protect those who are devout.”
    …………………

    Islam vs. modern science, indeed.

    • Carol the 1st says

      Mar 21, 2020 at 9:38 pm

      They’re greatest activity is to portray themselves as winners regardless of how much egg is on their faces. It’s inexplicable as to why Allah didn’t just ship them off to His whorehouse in the sky without all the fuss and bother.

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