Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Authorities on Friday disallowed congregational Friday prayers at the historic Jamia masjid in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir with Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq barred to lead the prayers. Sources said that the move was meant to foil the proposed protests in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israeli bombings in Gaza.
Although no statement has yet been issued by the mosque administration but Srinagar administration claims that a decision has been taken to maintain law and order in the city given the ongoing standoff between Hamas and Israel in Gaza."Friday prayers will not be offered at the Jamia Masjid today, a decision taken due to the ongoing standoff between Hamas and Israel," a Srinagar administration official said.
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The official further said, "It was reported from the reliable sources that that the protests may erupt after the Friday prayers outside Jamia Masjid. So the step has to be taken to maintain law and order." Interestingly, two days ago, Chairman of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference and Head of Ittehad Majlis Ulema, Mirwaiz Dr Maulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq, expressed his views on the conditions of the lives of women and children in the Palestine-Israel conflict.
He said that "the roots of this conflict lie in the colonial past and the persecution of the Muslim world." Mirwaiz further said that the Kashmiris stand in solidarity with the Palestinians and hope for a resolution of the conflict and the threat of deep human suffering due to it. Meanwhile an X handle purportedly associated with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq quoted officials of the mosque management officials saying that police have closed the gates of the mosque to disallow Friday prayers.
Mirwaiz Farooq, who was released after four years of house detention, too was barred from leading the prayers, the post read. Significantly, the Jammu and Kashmir released Mirwaiz Farooq on Sept 22 as it ended the ban on congregational Friday prayers at the Jamia Masjid after four years since the abrogation of Article 370 on Aug 5, 2019.
