Neyaz Elahi
Srinagar, May 14, KNT: As the holy month of Ramadhan is in progress, Grand Mufti Thursday appealed people to offer Shab-e-Qadar prayers at home and avoid any kind of social gatherings amid the Coronavirus outbreak in Kashmir Valley.
Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam told news agency KNT that that the virus can be eradicated if people follow the lockdown norms strictly.
“If we follow government instructions, we will be able to eradicate Covid-19 soon. The holy month of Ramadhan is in progress. Prayers are being offered at homes and now I urge upon people to offer the prayers of Shab-e-Qadar in their homes as well. This I am saying because Coronavirus threat is still looming and it is not yet over,” Grand Mufti said.
When asked about the Eid-ul-Fitar prayers, Grand Mufti said that he will talk to administration in this regard. “It has to be seen if administration allows people to offer Eid prayers or not. If it doesn’t, that means people can’t offer Eid pryers even at home. Eid prayers are offered as ‘shukrana’ prayers collectively and this can’t be offered at homes individually,” he said.
“Eid prayer is congregational prayer and it can’t be offered at home. I will talk to administration in this regard,” he said.
Pertinently, Saudi Arabia’s grand mufti, the highest religious authority in the kingdom, has said prayers during Ramadan and the subsequent Eid al-Fitar prayers should be performed at home if the coronavirus outbreak continues.
“Ramadan’s Taraweeh (evening) prayer can be performed at home if it cannot be performed at mosques due to the preventive measures taken to fight the spread of coronavirus,” Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Sheikh said in response to a question, adding that the same applies for Eid prayers. (KNT)
