How did so many Jamaatis get infected? The disgusting, unsanitary rituals of the Tablighi Jamaat are to blame

The Tablighi Jamaat, which took place at Delhi’s Nizamuddin in March at the Banglewali Masjid has proven to be ground zero for almost all the new cases which have come to light since March 30th. It is estimated that close to 13,000 people attended the orthodox Wahhabi congregation, out of which at least 8000 have been identified as high-risk individuals who may have spread the disease across the length and breadth of India.

A lot has been said and debated about ever since the criminal negligence and indifference of the Tablighi Jamaat was brought to fore. What has, however, skipped the minds of many, is the fact that there is an enormous, and unnatural infection rate among the people who attended the Jamaat last month. And the cause of this abnormally high infection rate is not being deliberated upon, in a manner it should be. An India Today graphic summarizes the setback that India’s fight against COVID-19 has suffered due to the callousness of Jamaati’s.

Among the new cases detected in India from April 1st-3rd, a whopping 56% of them are related to the Jamaat. There better be some convincing reasons as to why so many people are testing positive among those who attended the congregation, which by the way defied all stipulated guidelines at the time.

A report in Swarajya by acclaimed journalist Swati Goel Sharma clears the many doubts about the same, and also tells us why almost everybody who attended the congregation is testing positive. 

The report quotes a man named Johny (name changed) from Telangana, exposing the unhygienic and close to abominable practices of the Markaz inmates. “They teach us how to follow the tenets of the Quran strictly and tell us to live as Muhammad peace be upon him lived. We follow him in everything we do – the way we eat and drink, and even urinate,” he was quoted as saying. He also added that the organization taught its members how to have sexual intercourse.

Johny also stated that he was quite sure of the fact that if one person had contracted the disease, it was inevitable for all others to be infected as well. This gives us an idea as to how no social distancing norms were followed, and how the organizers couldn’t care less about personal and community hygiene.

He revealed that there were very few toilets, which too, were in a pathetic condition and which were cleaned only once a day. This, despite the fact that over 2100 people were evacuated from the Markaz. “At any given point of time in the day, one could not use the toilet without waiting for at least half-an-hour. That’s how crowded the place was,” he said.

Further, food was consumed by four men together, from the same big plate, without spoons. This plate was used by six to seven more batches before it was sent off for cleansing. This roughly translates to over thirty men consuming food from the same plate. With such revelations, it becomes clear how everyone managed to get infected with the Chinese virus.

Muslims perform a purification practice before offering namaz, called wudu.  John revealed that the Markaz had a small water pool like area, where all the inmates would take water from to perform the ritual. They would wash their faces, mouth, feet and arms from the same pool. This leaves no doubt in our minds, and it becomes amply clear why a large majority of those who attended the congregation are turning up positive. 

Apart from the unhygienic lifestyle practices of these people, those who have been quarantined in Delhi and other parts are also exhibiting their sick mentality in its crudest form. While some were spitting on doctors and abusing them, others also resorted to misbehaving with nurses. They made lewd remarks against the female staff, while some also dropped their pants and walked around.

All this, while the same people claim to represent ‘Islam’ in its truest spirit, and also avouch to live a life like the Prophet. What needs to be deliberated upon in the aftermath of this pandemic, and what the repercussions of leaving these animalistic sub-humans on the loose will be, in the near future. They are certainly not fit to coexist with humans in a society. There must be an enhanced debate about the future of such people. For all we know, many of them are in need of medication, and also de-radicalization simultaneously.