Home Featured Invited to a wedding? Don’t go!

Invited to a wedding? Don’t go!

by Salaamedia

Opinion | Azhar Vadi | 20 March 2020

Over the next 48 hours, South Africa will pass through its first weekend since the declaration of the national state of disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa last Sunday.

The official tally of Coronavirus patients currently sits at 150 and this is expected to rise dramatically if the graphical curve is not flattened soon. We all have a part to play.

Weekends traditionally present the opportunity for families to arrange weddings, get-to-gathers, and social outings. The South African government has limited groupings to under 100 people and this has certainly impacted this norm. I’m certain the entire situation has left many, particularly those with expectations of a beautiful wedding ceremony, devastated.

Many of these functions have now been officially cancelled but there may still be some families out there adamant on going ahead, perhaps trying to limit numbers to 100 guests or circumventing the restrictions by putting people into separate seating areas taking the numbers up to 200 or even 300.

Quite moronic, if you ask me.

From an Islamic perspective, scholars are debating whether to shut down the compulsory Friday prayer, and the most sacred of sites in Makkah and Madinah have halted the weekly congregation.

Weddings and family gatherings pale in front of these important religious duties.

That said though, I’m in no place to force people to shut down their events or drum common sense into them. But I can offer some words of caution to guests who have been invited.

Kindly send your host a simple and courteous message declining the invite and don’t go. The reason is twofold:

  1. You could unwittingly pick up the virus from any one of the 10, 30, 50, or 100 guests attending.
  2. You may be a carrier of Covid-19 without exhibiting any symptoms of the virus as it incubates within you and pass it on to someone else. Even if only strong and healthy people are attending, meaning the chances of someone attending the event dying from Coronavirus is minimal, they may go home and pass it on to someone who is immuno-compromised who could die.

So, basically, attending such an event is simply a no-no at present. Are you willing to compromise your life or the life of others for a few hours of social gratification? The answer lies within your heart. And only you know the answer.

Featured Image: LiveScience

Related Videos