Srinagar: Jummatul Vida and Shab-e Qadr prayers have been cancelled in view of unabated rise in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths at historic Jamia Masjid, which remained closed for congregational prayers since April 29, in downtown Srinagar.
A spokesperson for the Aniuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid (AAJM) said that Jummatul Vida and Shab-e-Qadr programmes at the grand mosque have been cancelled due to exponential rise in COVID-19 cases and lockdown, which has been imposed in the wake of second wave of Coronavirus.
“The people should spend these holy occasions especially the last 10 days of Ramazan at their homes by holding special prayers, dhikr-o-adhkaar and manaajaat besides pray to Almighty Allah to grant us complete refuge from the deadly virus,” he said in a statement issued here on Thursday.
The Anjuman stressed upon the people to religiously follow the COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) and guidelines, saying the priority must be to save lives and prevent the virus from spreading.
“The best way to do that right now is to stay indoors. It also reiterated its appeal to people to get administered with Covid vaccine,” he added.
AAJM is headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is under house arrest since August 4, 2019, a day before centre abrogated Article 370 and 35 A besides divided the Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories (UTs).
Meanwhile, no congregational Friday prayers were held last week in most shrines and mosques in the valley, including Srinagar, in view of the COVID-19 lock down that was imposed on April 29 following surge in the corona virus positive cases. The lockdown was later extended till Thursday and then till May 10 in the valley.
