‘Alvida ki Namaz’ offered peacefully in Prayagraj
PRAYAGRAJ: The ‘Alvida ki Namaz’ (Ramzan’s last Friday prayers) was offered peacefully in all mosques of Prayagraj on Friday. The police and district administration had made tight security arrangements for the day. Traffic diversions were also put in place.
The largest congregation of devouts was seen at the Sunni Jama Masjid in Chowk area.
However, unlike previous years, this year prayers were offered only inside the premises of the mosque. Earlier, because of the large numbers, the devouts used to offer prayers on the adjacent roads and lanes near the mosque, too.
‘Alvida ki Namaz’ was also held at Shia Jama Masjid on Zero Road; Masjid-e-Azam, Dariyabad; Hari Masjid of Civil Lines; Marble Mosque near Railway station; Abdullah Masjid, Munna Masjid, Noorie Masjid, Amna Mosque, Ghausia Masjid, Abu Bakr Masjid, Masjid Umar and numerous others mosques in the city.
According to some of the devotees, imams of the mosques urged Muslims to work for the welfare of people. They were also told about the importance of zakat (money given to poor) and their duty of helping the poor and needy.
In all, prayers were offered in over 500 mosques and imambaras in the districts of Prayagraj, Pratapgarh and Kaushambi during the day.
In the run up to Friday, police and district administration were on high alert. On Friday morning, police officials met the management of various mosques and assured them about security arrangements and parking facilities etc.
Police personnel were deployed at intersections of the city and prominent mosques.
Earlier, the district magistrate and SSP held a meeting with religious leaders and discussed the steps taken for peaceful conduct of ‘Alvida ki Namaz’.
Loudspeakers installed at several religious places had already been removed and loudspeaker sound was reduced, as per rules, at several other mosques.