Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board on Saturday said that Eid prayers will not be allowed at Eidgah Srinagar adding that the request for the arrangements of Eid prayers at Eidgah Srinagar was received late and it won’t be possible to make necessary arrangements for the Eid prayers.
As per the official communication of Waqf Board to Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid, the Waqf board said that as the request has been received late, it won’t be possible to make necessary arrangements for Eid prayer at Eidgah Srinagar.
“Reference is invited to your communication bearing AAJ/524 dated 06-07-2022 regarding the captioned subject. In this context, you are hereby informed that the request has been received very late. Further, there is a weather forecast of a heavy downpour for the coming few days. In view of the above facts, it would not be possible for the Waqf Board to make requisite arrangements in such a short period. You are therefore advised to ask followers to offer prayer in covered spaces of local masjids,” reads the communication.
Meanwhile, Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid in a statement said that the government has also disallowed Eid prayers at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid at 9 am.
Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid said that in reply to the letter sent to Wakf board by the Anjuman as per yearly tradition to make civic arrangements for Eid ul Adha prayers at Idgah Srinagar , the Wakf board has in its reply received today , conveyed its inability to facilitate prayers citing rainy weather forecast, saying Muslims should offer prayers at their local masjids instead.
“Later in the day Anjuman members were called by government authorities and told that as Wakf had declined prayer facilitation at Idgah, if Auqaf wants to conduct the prayers at Jamia Masjid Srinagar instead, it can be only allowed at the central Jama Masjid if held before 6.30 am and not after that,” reads the statement.
Auqaf said as per routine practice, Anjuman Auqaf had last week announced that Eid prayers will be held at Eidgah at 9 am.
“If Eid prayers can be held at other masjids and shrines under the Wakf board at 10 and 11 am , strange conditions are only being applied for central Jama Masjid , and frivolous excuses being made for not making arrangements at Eidgah,” the statement added.