Idgahs shut for Covid, Id prayers in mosques today
Id-ul-Zuha prayers will be held in mosques as the government and Wakf Board have not allowed prayers at idgahs due to the Covid-19 protocols currently in place. Muslims were advised to offer prayers at nearby mosques while observing physical distancing.
The elderly and children were asked not to visit mosques. Wakf Board issued guidelines restricting the entry of faithful to 50 in each mosque. Mosques can arrange multiple prayers with intervals to avoid overcrowding. There will be three prayers in Masjid Alamgiri, Shantinagar and Masjid-e-Quba, Goods Shed Road, Nampally. Different Imams will lead the prayers.
The Macca Masjid and Royal Mosque will remain closed for the faithful on Saturday.
At mosques, custodians and managing committees removed prayer mats and sanitised the premises. The faithful asked to perform the wudhu (ablution) at their homes before visiting the mosques.
Fewer sacrificial animals arrived at the mandis. Many traders did not participate in the business this year due to Covid-19 restrictions. Due to supply constraints, the prices of animals were marked up by 25 per cent compared to last year.
This may be the first time that the faithful did not show keenness in purchasing sacrificial animals, apprehending non-availability of butchers and difficulty in distributing the meat.
Mohammed Furqan of King Koti said every year he sacrifices animals on behalf of each member of his family, but this time he would limit the numbers. He said, “I have decided to give the amount meant for sacrifice to the needy.”
No madrasa and NGO will collect rawhide of sacrificial animals. Nawab Abrarullah of Moghalpura said he had decided to bury the hide rather than throw it on the road or in the garbage bin. He appealed to citizens to avoid sacrificing animals on the roads and to maintain cleanliness.