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Srinagar mosques, shrines off for Friday prayers again today; MMA concerned

20 August 2021

S FAYAZ — SRINAGAR, JUN 7 (UNI) Historic Jamia Masjid in down town Srinagar remain closed and no prayers were allowed by the authorities even COVID-19 restrictions were eased on Mondays and Thursdays in Kashmir valley. UNI SRN PHOTO 20.

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Srinagar, Aug 20: Mandatory Friday prayers in Muslim faith were once again disallowed at the major shrines and mosques falling under the jurisdiction of Wakf Board in Srinagar district today.

The mosques and shrines remained closed for the prayers since last week after the government sounded alert over a possible 3rd Covid wave, claiming that the next 100 days were crucial in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), witnesses said that the major shrines and Masjids including Dargah Hazratbal and historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar remained locked for the devotees today as well.

Meanwhile, Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) Jammu and Kashmir, an amalgam of all ulemas and leading religious organisations, headed by incarcerated Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, expressed strong reservation and condemned the repeated closure of all major places of worship in Kashmir, including the Jama Masjid Srinagar, Asar Sharief Dargah Hazratbal, Khanqahe Moalla, Astan Aliya Dastgeer sb, Astane Aaliya Makhdoomi sb, Aastane Aliya Naqshband and others, by the authorities, under the guise of Covid-19.

In a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), MMU said that inspite of all Covid prevention protocols being in place and complete adherence to all Covid-19 related SOPs, authorities are not allowing people to offer Friday prayers at these key religious places. “This is causing anguish and anger among the people as it hurts their religious sentiments and comes in the way of fulfilling their religious obligations,” MMU said.

MMU said that in view of the holy days of Muharram-ul-Haraam and the significant decline in the Coronavirus graph one would normally expect that authorities would facilitate arrangements for the ease of worshippers; but on the contrary restrictions are being imposed deliberately to prevent people from exercising their basic religious rights.

MMU said that if by next Friday all major places of worship are not opened for worshippers, it will hold a meeting to deliberate on this grave matter, where the future course of action will be decided and people will be informed accordingly.

It also called for the immediate release of its head Mirwaiz Umar Farooq who is under illegal house arrest for the past two years.

The members of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema include Anjuman-e-Auqaf Jamia Masjid Srinagar, Mufti Azam’s Muslim Personal Law Board, Darul Uloom Raheemiya Bandipora, Anjuman-e-Shari’a Shian, Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadeeth, Jamaat-e-Islami, Karwaan-e-Islami, Ittehad-e-Muslimeen, Anjuman-e-Himayat-ul-Islam, Anjuman-e-Tabligh-ul-Islam. Jamiat Hamdaniya, Anjuman Ulema Ahnaaf, Darul Uloom Qasmia, Darul Uloom Bilalia, Anjuman Nusrat-ul-Islam, Anjuman-e-Mazhar-ul-Haq, Jamiat Aima Wa Ulema, Anjuman-e-Imam-o-Mashaa’ikh Kashmir, Dar-ul-Uloom Naqshbandia, Dar-ul-Uloom Rasheedia, Ahl-e-Bayt Foundation, Madrasa Kanz-ul-Uloom, Karvaan Khatm-e-Nabuwat, and other religious, social and educational associations. —(KNO)