Local mosque happy to get back to worship and prayer

After the spread of COVID-19, mosques, churches and temples had to close.

However, Governor Cuomo announced of over the weekend that houses of worship may resume public gatherings at 25 percent capacity.

GOOD EVENING ONCEAGAIN, I'M KEITHRADFORD..THE DOORS TOCHURCHES ACROSSNEW YORK STATE AREOPEN ONCE AGAIN...BUT THERE ARE SOMELIMITATIONS...7 EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER ALAERREBHI TAKES INSIDEA LOCAL MOSQUEGETTING READY FORTHE FAITHFUL TORETURN..TRT = 1:25SUPERS:CUTLINE: HOUSES OFWORSHIP REOPEN AT25% CAPACITYOUTCUE: 7 EWN.PKG:MUSLIMS AREREQUIRED TO PRAYFIVE TIMES A DAY, ANDWORSHIPERS DO SOIN MOSQUES.BUT AFTER THESPREAD OF COVID-19,MOSQUES, CHURCHESAND TEMPLES HAD TOCLOSE."THERE'S A NO SHOWBECAUSE OF IT."BUT GOVERNORCUOMO ANNOUNCEDOF OVER THEWEEKEND THATHOUSES OF WORSHIPMAY RESUME PUBLICGATHERINGS AT 25PERCENT CAPACITY.UROOQ GASKINCHATTED WITH ME ONTHE STEPS OF MASJIDDARUS-SALAAM INBUFFALO.HE'S THIS MOSQUE'SMUEZZIN, OR THE MANWHO CALLS MUSLIMSTO PRAYER FIVE TIMESA DAY.HE SAYS HE'S HAPPYTO GET BACK TOPRAYER ANDWORSHIP."THAT WAS THE FIRSTTHING THAT CAME TOMY MIND AND ALL THEOTHER PARTICIPANTSHERE AT DARUS-SALAAM...THAT WECAN GET BACK TO THE'IBADAH' WHICHMEANS 'WORSHIP' TOOUR LORD."GASKIN SHOWED MEINSIDE THE MOSQUE,WHICH IS EMPTYSINCE IT'S NOT YETPRAYER TIME.ALTHOUGHWORSHIPERS PRAYSEVERAL TIMES A DAYHERE, THE LARGESTGATHERING IS ONFRIDAY, OR JUMAAH INARABIC."JUMMAH WILL BECOMING UP THISFRIDAY AND WEANTICIPATE TO HAVE -OUR NORMAL CROWDIS ABOUT 40 TO 50PEOPLE.

SOWHATEVER THE LAWALLOWS US TO HAVE,WE'LL REGULATE ITACCORDING TO THAT."GASKIN SAYS THEMOSQUE HAS MASKSAND HAND SANITIZER,AND THEY DO ATHOROUGH CLEANINGOF THE CARPET THEYPRAY ON TWICE A DAY.I ASKED HIM WHY IT'SIMPORTANT THATPEOPLE GATHER IN AMOSQUE TO PRAYINSTEAD OF PRAYINGAT HOME."THE REASON FOR THEGATHERING OF THEPRAYER IS BECAUSETHERE'S MORESTRENGTH ANDBLESSINGS GOING UPTO OUR CREATOR FORTHE MORE PEOPLETHAT PRAYTOGETH