Srinagar, Aug 06 (KNS): Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid on Friday said that after almost four months, congregational  Friday prayers were resumed at Jama Masjid as they had been suspended due to the rise in Covid-19  pandemic.

In a statement, issued to Kashmir News Service (KNS), a spokesperson said that 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,” reads the statement.

It reads that on the occasion Imam-e-Hai Maulana Syed Ahmed Naqshband in his address thanked Almighty Allah that prayers had been resumed at Jama mosque, 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.

The statement reads that 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. (KNS)