Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

Special prayers offered for country’s peace and progress

After 2 yrs, crowds visible at mosques as prayers offered without Covid restrictio­ns

- HT Correspond­ent letters@htlive.com

LUCKNOW: Ramzan’s last Friday prayers, also called ‘Alvida ki Namaz’, were offered peacefully in mosques of the state capital amid tight security.

At many mosques, special prayers were also offered to maintain peace in the nation and for its progress.

However, unlike previous years, this time there was no use of loudspeake­rs at most of the mosques, and whichever few places they were used, their volume was within limits.Also, this time there was no blocking of roads by the ‘namazis’ (devouts) to offer prayers.

Prominent mosques, including Asifi Masjid, Eidgah in Aishbagh and Teele Wali Masjid witnessed huge turnout where the devouts from different parts of the city offered ‘alvida’ prayers.

It was after a gap of two years that crowds were visible at the mosques as prayers were offered without any Covid restrictio­ns.

“It’s like coming back to life. Things were truly bad in the last

two years of pandemic, when festivals had lost their charm and Eid was celebrated amid Covid restrictio­ns. It’s good to see getting back to normal,” said Mohammed Rizwan, a devout at the Teele Wali Masjid.

Fazlul Mannan, imam of Tile Wali Masjid, who led the ‘namaz’, said the prayers were offered peacefully. He said a huge turnout was witnessed at the mosque, despite the scorching heat.

“Mosques had made sure that volume of loudspeake­rs remained within limits,” he added.

Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, Imam Eidgah, said: “We had issued directives to masjid

committees to keep the volume of loudspeake­rs within limits, as per the chief minister’s directives.”

Khalid Rasheed, who had appealed to mosques to make

sure that prayers were not offered on the roads, said the Friday prayers were followed by special prayers to maintain peace in the nation and for its progress.

Asifi Masjid was the first to hold the prayers, where Shia cleric Maulana Raza Haider led the prayers.

Staffers at the mosque said it was for the first time that they witnessed such a huge turnout as the entire mosque premises, premises of the Bada Imambara and also of the Bhool Bhulaiya were all packed with ‘namazis’.

A few also hailed the arrangemen­ts made by the Hussainaba­d and Allied Trust (HAT).

 ?? DEEPAK GUPTA/HT PHOTO ?? Sunni Muslims offering ‘Alvida ki Namaz’ at Teele Wali Masjid in Lucknow on Friday.
DEEPAK GUPTA/HT PHOTO Sunni Muslims offering ‘Alvida ki Namaz’ at Teele Wali Masjid in Lucknow on Friday.
 ?? DEEPAK GUPTA/HT PHOTO ?? Shia Muslims offering ‘Alvida ki Namaz’ at Asafi Masjid at Bada Imambada in Lucknow on Friday.
DEEPAK GUPTA/HT PHOTO Shia Muslims offering ‘Alvida ki Namaz’ at Asafi Masjid at Bada Imambada in Lucknow on Friday.

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