Shab-e-Qadr, Jumat-Ul-Vida observed with religious zeal in Kashmir

Devotees pray on Jumat-ul-Vida, the fourth and last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan at Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar. -Excelsior/Shakeel
Devotees pray on Jumat-ul-Vida, the fourth and last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan at Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar. -Excelsior/Shakeel

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, Apr 29: Shab-e-Qadr or Lailat-ul-Qadr and Jumat-Ul-Vida, the last Friday of the Holy month of Ramadan, were celebrated with religious fervour by the muslims across the Valley.

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The biggest congregation on the twin occasions were witnessed at Dargah Hazratbal where the devotees in large number attended the special prayers while no prayers were allowed at Jamia Masjid Srinagar where normally biggest congregation was being held on the occasion. The administration had disallowed Shab-e-Qadr and Jumat-Ul-Vida prayers at Jamia Masjid.
Devotees from different areas across Kashmir reached Dargah Hazratbal here on Thursday evening to participate in the congregational night-long prayers on the eve of Shab-e-Qadr.
Similar rush of devotees was also witnessed on Jumat-Ul-Vida when the Muslims had a glimpse of the holy relic at Hazratbal shrine.
Arrangements were made for special prayers in Masjids and the shrines across the Valley to mark the holy night and seek divine blessings. The devotees attended the religious gatherings to seek forgiveness from Allah Almighty and his blessings.
According to the holy Quran, the first verses of the Quran were revealed to Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) in this night.
This is one of the holiest and most blessed nights, which is likely to occur on one of the odd nights in the last 10 days of Ramadan and most likely to be the 27th of the holy month.
However, the historic Jamia Masjid in the Old City area of Srinagar remained closed for the special prayers on Shab-e-Qadr as well as on Jumat-Ul-Vida as security measures.
The locals said that it is for the third straight year that the historic grand Masjid has been kept closed by the authorities for the special prayers, expressing their anguish over the decision.
Moreover, the Government had also made special arrangements on the occasions and had also directed the Power Development Department (PDD) and Public Health Engineering (PHE) officials to ensure adequate and uninterrupted electricity and water supply respectively on this special occasion. But electricity was playing hide and seek with majority of the areas in Kashmir without electricity during the Shab-e-Qadr.