The contagious power of words: Muslim South Africans during the pandemic

As part of the nationwide lockdown imposed by the South African government in March 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, places of worship were ordered to close their doors. This article looks at the response of the Muslim community to these measures which evoked sharp debates over the closure of mosques, social distancing during prayer, and the wearing of face masks, differences that affected personal relationships and exacerbated theological tensions among Muslims. In examining these divisions, this article also raises the thorny issue of the authority of religion versus science and the prerogative of the state to impose its will, as well as what it means to live as a Muslim minority in a secular state. The whole thing is one big hoax for a greater plan. We call it in Islam the Dajjali fitnah (anti-Christ), which has started on a grand scale across the whole world. Dajjal means ‘the biggest deceiver’, so all his agents are working. What is really happening is the New World Order …. The masses are asses they say in Arabic. They fall for anything. (Recording received by author on May 16, 2020).