Kashmir: Authorities Ban ‘Shab-e-Qadr’ & ‘Jumat-ul-Vida’ Prayers At Historic Jamia Masjid

The decision was also not taken positively by the political parties as the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) termed it as highly deplorable 

Jamia Masjid, Srinagar

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New Delhi: The Kashmir authorities have decided not to allow Shab-e-Qadr and Jumat-ul-Vida congregational prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, news agency PTI reported. The Kashmiri leaders have denounced the decision which was conveyed to the Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid which is the managing body of the grand mosque on Wednesday night. 

“The government and police officials headed by a magistrate visited the Jamia Masjid premises after iftar and conveyed to the Auqaf members that authorities have decided not to allow Jumat-ul-Vida congregational prayers to be held in Jamia Masjid on the last Friday of Ramadhan, as well as no prayers or Shab (night-long prayers) to be allowed on Shab-e-Qadr at the historic mosque,” a statement issued by the Auqaf said.

It further said that the managing body strongly denounces this decision. 

The decision was also not taken positively by the political parties as the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) termed it as highly deplorable 

The spokesperson of the alliance, M Y Tarigami said, that the move will bar thousands of people from offering prayers inside the historic mosque. 

“Since it amounts to direct interference in the people's religious matters, the move is unacceptable and reprehensible,” he said.

Tarigami added that the PAGD urges the administration to reconsider its decision forthwith and allow the people to offer their prayers.

He further said Jamia Masjid is a historic place and people have a deep devotion to it. Such moves are tantamount to hurting the religious sentiments of the people, he said.

Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also denounced the repeated closure of the Jamia Masjid.

“Not allowing congregational prayers on the occasion of Jumat-ul-Vida at the central Jamia mosque of the valley, which is thronged by lakhs of valley's Muslims on this blessed day -- when offering prayers at Jamia Masjid has greater blessings, is outrageous, and against the fundamental human right to religious practice,” the Hurriyat said in a statement.

Farooq further said that the same holds true for barring people from offering prayers at the mosque on Shab-e-Qadr. 

The Hurriyat sought the revocation of the ban and to allow Muslims of the valley access to the Jamia Masjid during the holy month of Ramzan. 

The National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah also responded to the ban and termed it unfortunate. He said that by such actions, the administration is proving that the situation in Kashmir was far from normal and contrary to what it has been claiming. 

“That is unfortunate. They say that the situation is almost normal. If it is normal, then why no permission to Shab and Jumait-ul-Vida (prayers) in Jamia Masjid?” he was quoted as saying by PTI. 

He said the government was either creating artificial normalcy or selling the impression of normalcy in the rest of the country by suppressing the people here. 

Abdullah further added. “Normalcy does not come by way of tourism only. The proof of normalcy is by having people live normal lives. Not having the prayers is evidence of an abnormal situation and not normalcy. The government, if not by its words, then by its actions, is proving that the situation in Kashmir is far from normal.”