SRINAGAR: The Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid in a press statement said that after almost four months, congregational Friday prayers were resumed at Jama Masjid today. The prayers had been suspended due to the surge in Covid-19 cases.
All arrangements were made by the Auqaf to ensure Covid SOPs were in place and were observed by all who offered prayers at the Masjid.
President Anjumam Auqaf Jama Masjid and Mirwaiz e Kashmir Mohamad Umar Farooq was not allowed to move out of his home for the Jumma majlis waz-o-tableegh (Friday Sermon) and offering of Friday prayers at the Jama Masjid. Mirwaiz continues to be under house detention for the past two years, since August 2019.
On this occasion Imam Hai Moulana Syed Ahmed Naqshband in his address thanked Almighty Allah that prayers had been resumed at Jama Masjid, with all covid protocols in place, but lamented that since the past two years Mirwaiz e kashmir has been arbitrarily detained at his house by the state authorities, and is not even allowed to visit Jama Masjid to deliver the Friday sermon which people are longing to hear and participate in. This is causing people great hurt and anguish. It is the centuries old tradition of Mirwaizeen-e-Kashmir who delivers the unique Friday sermon from the pulpit of the Jama Masjid.
Imam Hai said that by keeping the pulpit forcibly empty by detaining Mirwaiz, authorities are deliberately hurting the sentiments of the Muslims of the valley.
Those present said that although they were happy that prayers at Jama Masjid were resumed, which they greatly missed in the last months, but the continued detention of Mirwaiz causing his absence from the mosque made them sad.

Reader correspondent