Srinagar: Kashmir’s Grand Mufti Nasir-ul Islam on Wednesday said that he has invited heads of all the religious bodies and organizations of Kashmir for a crucial meeting scheduled to be held on Saturday for evolving a consensus whether congregational prayers need to be banned in Valley in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.
Talking exclusively to KNO, Islam said that he received many delegations at his Soura office today who expressed concern whether to offer congregational Friday prayers at masjids and shrines of Valley at a time when entire world is fighting the Coronavirus. “Keeping in view the concerns expressed by them, I have convened a crucial meeting of all the religious bodies of Kashmir. I have sent invitations to all the religious heads of almost all the organisations in Kashmir requesting them to participate in the meeting scheduled on Saturday 2 pm,” he said.
He said the issue whether congregational prayers need to be stopped for a time being will be discussed threadbare in the meeting in which representatives of Karwan-e-Islami, Jamiat-e-Ahlihadith, Anjuman-e-Himayatul Islam, Islamic Study Circle, Anjuman-e-Share Shian and all other organisations will participate. “We will deliberate on the issue in the backdrop of Islamic law and Hadith and unanimously take a call and make the decision public before the press,” he told KNO.
Meanwhile, Grand Mufti said that Government of India and J&K administration must understand the emergency situation and release Kashmiri prisoners lodged in various jails including Tihar, Agra, Jodhpur, Rajasthan and other places forthwith. “In Srinagar, Central jail is most vulnerable to Coronavirus. I urge the administration to shift prisoners with small offences to their homes immediately,” he said.
The Grand Mufti also urged people to go for austere marriages where not more than ten people from both bride and grooms’ side should participate. “We need to take precautions before situation turns ugly,” he said, adding that the government should also take steps to segregate patients and doctors at the Government Psychiatric Hospital Srinagar—(KNO)
