Srinagar : The managing body of the Jamia Masjid here on Friday said that the authorities have disallowed “Jumat-ul-vida” congregational prayers at the historic mosque.
“District magistrate and police officials visited Jamia Masjid in the morning at 9.30 am and asked the management to lock the gates of the Masjid as administration had decided that jumat-ul-vida prayers will not be allowed at the Masjid,” Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid said in a statement to GNS.
“Anjuman strongly resents this move of the authorities causing great distress to lakhs of Muslims who traditionally come from all parts of the valley to offer prayers on the last and greatly blessed Friday of Ramzan in Jamia Masjid where offering prayers on last Friday has great significance,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President and Member of the Parliament from Srinagar Dr. Farooq Abdullah condemned the disallowing of Jummat-ul-Vida prayers at the historical Jamia Masjid.
Calling out the administration’s “highhandedness”, Dr Farooq said the measure is a clear violation and interference with the religious rights of the people. “Jamia Masjid is the central mosque and an epicentre of faith of millions of Muslims across J&K. Having this great mosque out of bounds for people on the auspicious day of Jumat-ul-Vida is highly deplorable. Such unwarranted curbs hurt the religious sentiments of millions and are unsuited to the country’s democratic, secular moorings besides debunking the claims of government on changed ground situation across Kashmir,” he said adding, “The continuous detention of Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq is a matter of great concern and violative of basic human rights. Our constitution provides for freedom of conscience and the rights of all individuals to freely profess, practice, and propagate religion. The same should not be denied to Mirwaiz. His prolonged detention hurts the religious sentiments of people, who would otherwise hear the pulpit and spirals of Jamia Masjid reverberate with his sermons, especially on Fridays.” (GNS)
