The regular prayers at the masjids and shrines affiliated to J&K Wakf Board here will continue to remain suspended as a precautionary measure to contain COVID19.
On May 1, the Wakf Board had announced suspension of regular prayers for the time being at the masjids and shrines affiliated to it in view of coronavirus. The decision had been taken after threadbare discussion with the Islamic scholars.
A board official confirmed to Greater Kashmir that regular prayers would continue to remain suspended in view of pandemic. “After a threadbare discussion, it was decided that masjids and shrines shall remain temporarily shut for the five daily prayers as well as the weekly Friday prayers,” he said.
The Islamic scholars in Kashmir have urged the people to avoid organising large gatherings, and advised the Imams of local masjids to deliver brief sermons on Fridays and seek Almighty’s refuge from the coronavirus outbreak.
The local Masjid Committees have also urged worshippers to follow advisories by the administration in letter and spirit. The worshippers have been asked to wash hands before entering and leaving the masjids and shrines.
“The authorities must ensure that all the religious sites and the places where congregations are held are sanitized on regular basis,” they said.
In view of the spurt in covid19, the Anjuman Auqaf, Jamia Masjid (AAJM) has already announced suspension of all congregational prayers at Kashmir’s grand masjid for some time.
This year, large congregational prayers on the occasion of Shab-e-Qadr, Jumat-ul-Vida and Eid remain suspended.
The religious places had reopened in August 2020 after remaining closed for around five months due to COVID19.
Authorities had announced closure of all masjids and shrines in J&K in view of the outbreak of COVID19 in March 2020. Later, Islamic scholars had also appealed to the people to not hold any congregational prayers in the wake of pandemic.
The celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr this year remained confined to inside homes with no congregational prayers and social gathering held amid COVID19 lockdown.
Meanwhile, Zeashta Devi Prabandhak Committee (ZDPC) has also announced “deferment of celebrations of annual birth anniversary of Mata Zeashta in view of pandemic”. The annual celebration of birth anniversary of Mata Zeashta was scheduled to be held on 29 and 30 May.