Srinagar, Mar 23: No special prayers were held in Hazratbal shrine, which houses the holy relic of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and other major mosques in Kashmir on the occasion of Mehraj-ul-Alam to curtail spread of Coronavirus.
The night-long prayers were not held following J&K Muslim Wakf Board suspending it at its affiliated mosques and shrines, besides stopping displaying of ‘Holy Relic’ on the occasion of Mehraj-ul-Alam (SAW) celebrations.
However, special night-long prayers were held in local mosques in Srinagar and other parts of the valley, where a large number of people also held prayers in their respective residences.
All the gates of the shrine, which is located on the bank of world famous Dal Lake, were closed and no one was allowed inside. J&K Muslim Wakf Board had also announced that the ‘Holy relic’ would not be displayed this year to prevent people from assembling in the shrine.
During the congregation at local mosques, Islamic scholars threw light on the importance of the day during the prayer sittings. Special prayers were held for people affected from Coronavirus. “I offered night-long prayers at my home and prayed for the coronavirus to stop. I also prayed for the people who have been affected by the deadly virus,” Junaid Ahmad Mir, a resident of Rainawari, told UNI.
The main congregation every year used to happen at the holy shrine of Hazratbal in Srinagar, where thousands of Muslims, including men, woman and children, offered night-long prayers. The devotees also used to have a glimpse of the holy relic of Prophet Muhammad after every Nimaz at the white marbled Hazratbal shrine.
Authorities on Monday started enforcing a lock down to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the summer capital, Srinagar, and other parts of Kashmir valley, where normal life remained crippled due to strict restrictions since a woman was tested positive for the infection on Thursday. (UNI)
