Srinagar’s Grand Mosque Again Shut; This Time for Shab-E-Qadr Congregation
Srinagar: The authorities on Saturday evening again closed the entrances and doors of Srinagar’s Grand Mosque and informed the management of the place of worship that the Shab-e-Qadr congregation cannot be held there.
Meanwhile, Kashmir’s chief Muslim cleric and chairman of his faction of separatist Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a WhatsApp message to this newspaper said that he was once again placed under house arrest on Saturday afternoon and told by the police that he cannot go to the Jama Masjid for delivering a sermon on the occasion of Shab-e-Qadr.
Muslims believe that Shab-e-Qadr or the night of power is as better than a thousand months of worshipping. As per the Islamic belief, it is the night when the Quran was first sent down from heaven to the world and also the night when the first verses of the Quran were revealed to Prophet Muhammad.
A brief statement issued by Anjuman-e-Auqaf Jama Masjid, the management of the historic place of worship located in the heart of central Srinagar said, “Following the Asr (late afternoon) prayers, the government authorities closed the gates of Jama Masjid while the police asked people to vacate the premises. The Auquaf was informed that the observance of Taraweeh or Shab Khani on the auspicious occasion of Shab-e-Qadr will not be permitted at the Jama Masjid.”
The J&K authorities on Friday closed the entrances and doors of the Grand Mosque to prevent the Muslims from praying at the historic place of worship on Jumu'at-ul-Widaa, the last Friday in fasting month of Ramzan, citing security reasons.
Earlier Mirwaiz Umar was placed under house arrest here to prevent him from relocating to the Jama Masjid where he was scheduled to deliver customary sermon and join the congregational prayers. The Mirwaiz in a message flashed to media persons through his office invited them to a press conference at his residence in Srinagar’s Nigeen area at 12 Noon, but the police barricaded the precinct and sent the invitees back.
The Mirwaiz quickly turned to social media and in a video lamented over the Grand Mosque being locked by the authorities to disallow the Jumu'at-ul-Widaa congregation for the fifth consecutive year at the 15th century place of Muslim worship and putting him under house arrest. He termed the move as “authoritarian” and said that it has caused pain to the people including him.
