Thousands offer Friday Ramzan prayers at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid
SRINAGAR: Thousands of people came together to offer prayers at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar on the occasion of the final Friday of Ramzan.
Moon was not sighted on Thursday evening, adding fifth Friday to the holy month of Ramzan.
The authorities had not allowed prayers on the last Friday, Jumatul Vida or last Friday of Ramzan, triggering outrage across the Valley. Customarily, if there is a doubt of Eid coinciding with the final Friday, the Friday before is considered Jumatul Vida, when people gather for congregation prayers seeking forgiveness from almighty.
After the intense criticism, the Jammu and Kashmir administration permitted people to offer Shab-e-Qadr prayers on Monday night for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.
Today, the iconic Jamia Masjid in old city Nawhatta was packed with people, including men and women, not only inside the structure but also its central lawn. The prayers were held as the weather improved following days of intermittent rainfall.
The general secretary of Jamia’s managing body Anjuman Auqaf, Altaf Ahmad said that the mosque was jampacked. “Around 35,000 participated in the Friday prayers. Everything went smoothly,” he said. “We observed this as the final Friday, not Jumatul Vida,” he said.
Not only the Jamia but even Dargah Hazratbal, the most revered shrine in Kashmir, was thronged by people for Friday prayers. “Last Friday of holy Ramzan prayers went peacefully & smoothly in all the mosques of Srinagar district including in Hazratbal Dargah & in Jamia Masjid, Nowhatta. A huge congregation offered Friday afternoon prayers in all the mosques,” Srinagar Police said in a tweet.
Owing to the wet weather forecast and waterlogging, Eid prayers would not be held at Eidgah ground in the old city.
Anjuman Auqaf, the managing body of Jamia Masjid, said that the Eid prayers are going to be offered after three years at Jama Masjid, Srinagar at 9 am on Saturday. “The people are urged to come before time and show Islamic unity and discipline on the occasion,” it said.
The Jamia Masjid or grand mosque is one of the biggest mosques in Kashmir.