In late March, tens of thousands of Muslims defied official warnings in Bangladesh to hold a mass public prayer for protection from the coronavirus.
Jihad Watch reported at the time:
They’re waging “health jihad” and heeding dictates similar to those of the Iraqi Kurdish Supreme Fatwa Committee, which declared “anyone who dies due to Covid-19 is a martyr per Islamic Sharia.” So whether they’re infected with coronavirus or not, as far as they’re concerned they emerge victorious.
Now, less than a month later, a crowd of over 100,000 again assembled in Bangladesh, in the Brahmanbaria district. This time it was for the funeral of a popular Islamic teacher, Maulana Zubayer Ahmad Ansar. This gathering, of course, violated coronavirus restrictions in Bangladesh and risks spreading the coronavirus: Islamic duty comes before health and well-being.
“100,000 gather for funeral in Bangladesh, defying lockdown and sparking outbreak fears”, by Abir Mahmud, CNN, April 19, 2020:
(CNN)More than 100,000 people defied Bangladesh’s lockdown order on Saturday to attend the funeral of a senior leader of the Islamist party in the district of Brahmanbaria, authorities said.
The estimated size of the crowd was confirmed by the prime minister’s special assistant, Shah Ali Farhad and the Brahmanbaria police spokesman, Imtiaz Ahmed.
The funeral for Maulana Zubayer Ahmad Ansari, an Islamic teacher, broke the country’s ban of no more than five people attending prayers at one time, sparking fears of a new coronavirus outbreak emerging from the event.
Tens of thousands of people flooded the roads to Brahmanbaria district, walking from the surrounding areas to attend the funeral, according to Mohammad Mamunul Haque, the joint secretary general of the Islamist party.
The police were unable to control the crowd….