SRINAGAR: Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid said that police and civil authorities called them yesterday to convey that Eid prayers will not be allowed at Eid Gah Srinagar and would only be allowed at Jama Masjid Srinagar if held before 7 Am ,and after conditions set later by the authorities, are met by the Auqaf in writing.
As per the precedent , Anjum Auqaf had earlier in the day announced that Eid prayers will be held at Eid gah at 9 .30 Am and in case of inclement weather at Jama Masjid Srinagar at that time .
Auqaf members expressed great dismay that after disallowing muslims of the valley to pray at Jamia Masjid on Juma -tul- vida and Shab- e-Qadr , authorities are now not allowing muslims to offer Eid prayers in the open at Eid Gah , which is in tradition of the prophets sunnah. In this case , a reply was also received yesterday by the Anjuman to a letter they had sent to Waqf board regarding Eid prayer arrangements at Eid gah. The reply by the Wafq board conveyed that they could not facilitate prayer arrangements unless Authorities gave permission to conduct prayers at Eid gah .
Anjuman Auqaf said that Jama Masjid is a central place of congregational prayers in the valley and not some local masjid . The purpose of such central places of worship is to provide a space and opportunity to muslims so that they can pray together in large numbers on Fridays and other religious occasions, and experience the physical and spiritual communion as an ummah . To facilitate people from across the valley to reach these central places , prayers timings are decided accordingly and like in Dargah Hazratbal prayers timings by the waqf board has been set at 10.30 Am , Anjuman Auqaf had also announced prayers at 9:30 Am. It is strange that if congregational prayers can be allowed at other places at 10:30 Am , why not at Jama Masjid, why unreasonable conditions of giving this and that in writing , have to be applied here? Sadly it seems that as in case of juma tul -vida and shab–e-Qadr authorities do not want Eid prayers to held even at Jama Masjid after disallowing them at Eid gah due to public fear and hence these hurdles.
Anjuman Auqaf deeply regrets this approach of the authorities, when again Eid prayers are not being allowed at Eidgah as well as Jama Masjid , causing great hurt and sorrow to the muslims of J&K , as does the prolonged detention of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq since august 2019 , who would deliver the soul rendering Eid sermon prior to congregational Eid prayers .
