SRINAGAR: Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid said the police directed it to close the gates of the historic Jama Masjid shortly after Asr prayers, after the authorities denied permission to observe Shab-e-Baraat at the mosque and ordered the premises to remain shut for the night.
In a statement, the Auqaf said the decision was conveyed despite prior preparations for the religious observance, expressing “deep regret” that congregational prayers on a major Islamic occasion could not be held at the Valley’s largest mosque. It also said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had been placed under house arrest, preventing him from addressing devotees.
The Auqaf termed the move a continuation of a pattern since 2019 in which major religious congregations at Jama Masjid have not been permitted, calling it a “blatant interference” in the religious rights of the people. It strongly condemned what it described as the authorities’ approach and urged a review of the policy to allow peaceful religious gatherings at the mosque on sacred occasions.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, in a post on X, said Jama Masjid remained shut under security watch on the sacred night while mosques across the region held prayers. He said Shab-e-Baraat had joined a list of occasions since 2019 when prayers at Jama Masjid were stopped, alleging that no reasons were provided for the closures.
Shab-e-Baraat, one of the most significant nights in Islam, will be observed in 2026 from the evening of February 3 to the evening of February 4. Observed on the 15th night of Sha’ban, the eighth month of the Islamic calendar, it is widely regarded as the Night of Forgiveness, when Muslims engage in prayers, seek mercy and reflect on their actions.
