SRINAGAR: Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir, Molvi Muhammad Umar Farooq, on Friday expressed hope that authorities would not impose restrictions at the historic Jama Masjid Srinagar during the forthcoming holy month of Ramzan, particularly on significant occasions such as Shab-e-Qadr, Juma-tul-Vida and Eid-ul-Fitr.
Addressing the Friday congregation at the mosque, the Mirwaiz said Ramzan and the Jama Masjid share a centuries-old spiritual and historical bond, with the mosque serving as the central place of collective worship, reflection and supplication during the sacred month. He said any closure of the Valley’s largest mosque on important religious days deeply hurt the sentiments of the faithful.
He emphasised that Ramzan was not only a period of individual devotion but also of collective ‘ibadah’, when thousands gather in unity for prayers and spiritual renewal. Shutting a central place of worship during the most sacred days of the Islamic calendar, he said, caused anguish among worshippers and undermined the spirit of the holy month.
Appealing to the public, including youth and women, he urged people to attend the Jamia Masjid in large numbers throughout Ramzan and make the most of what he described as a month of mercy, forgiveness, self-purification and unity.
In his address, the Mirwaiz also welcomed the formation of a new government in Bangladesh following what he termed free and fair elections. He congratulated the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the people of Bangladesh, expressing hope for peace, stability and prosperity there. He further voiced hope that improved relations among neighbouring countries would help usher in lasting peace and progress across the region.
