People hail Admn, seek release of Mirwaiz
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Aug 6: Friday congregational prayers were today held at the historic Jamia Masjid with the strict adherence to the COVID-19 SOPs after a gap of more than four months.
Jamia along with other major religious places were closed in Kashmir for the daily prayers as well as the congregational ones soon after the outbreak of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Friday prayers were last week allowed at Dargah Hazratbal.
Keeping in view the pandemic, the prayers were today held with strict adherence to the COVID protocols and social distancing for which elaborate arrangements were made by the Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid.
On the occasion, the people including men and women thronged Jamia who were allowed to enter from all the entry points after making sure that everyone was wearing masks and after undergoing proper sanitization. However, people were allowed to exit from only one point after the culmination of the Friday prayers.
In this regard, elaborate security arrangements were also put in place around the Jamia Masjid to thwart any untoward incident after the culmination of Friday prayers.
Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid said that prayers were suspended due to the rising COVID-19 cases in the last week of April this year.
It said that all the arrangements were put in place to ensure that the COVID SOPs are adhered to by all who offered prayers at the Masjid.
“President Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid and Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Mohamad Umar Farooq was not allowed to move out of his home for the Jumma majlis waz-o-tableegh (Friday Sermon) and offering of Friday prayers at the Jama Masjid. Mirwaiz continues to be under house detention for the past two years, since August 2019,” Anjuman Auqaf said.
On the occasion, Imam Hai Moulana Syed Ahmed Naqshband in his address thanked the Almighty for the resumption of prayers at Jamia Masjid with COVID protocols in place.
He, however, expressed anguish over the continuous “detention” of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who, he said, is “not even allowed to visit Jamia Masjid to deliver the Friday sermon which people are longing to hear and participate in.
He said that keeping Mirwaiz away from the Jamia pulpit is akin to hurting the sentiments of the Muslims of the Valley.
On the occasion, the people thronging the Jamia Masjid expressed happiness over the decision of the administration allowing the conduct of Friday congregational prayers at Jamia. However, at the same time demanded immediate release of Mirwaiz.
“We are happy today as it is a moment of joy for the people and keeping in view the pandemic, we made sure that the COVID protocols are adhered to; we also prayed for peace and prosperity of J&K and also for an end to the pandemic that has ravaged lives,” said a local, Muhammad Shafi.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
