COVID-19: People defies ban offer prayers in mosques, main shrines remained closed in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jul 10: Defying ban people offered congregational Friday prayers in small and interior mosques in the Kashmir valley, including summer capital, Srinagar, where all shrines and Jamia Masjids remained closed since March this year due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Doctors and other experts have time and again cautioned people not to take Coronavirus lightly and take all preventive measures, including wearing masks avoid going to crowded places, to prevent the spread of this pandemic in the valley, where the number of positive cases has witnessed increase every passing day.
People today offered Fridays prayers in small and interior mosques in the Kashmir valley though authorities have yet to lift ban on congregational prayers.
Even in summer capital, Srinagar and all major towns, people offered congregational prayers today though in some worship places devotees had maintained physical distance and were seen wearing masks.
However, prayers in major mosques and shrines remained suspended for the 17th consecutive week on Friday due to lockdown to prevent spread of COVID-19 in the Kashmir valley, where shops and business establishments reopened last month under strict guidelines in Srinagar.
Meanwhile, people expressed hope that religious places will also be reopened officially after partially easing lockdown norms on business and other activities, opening of gardens and parks besides allowing annual pilgrimage to Holy Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas.
This was the 16th successive Friday that prayers were not offered in Jamia masjids and shrines in the valley as a precautionary measure to prevent spread of COVID-19.
All mosques and shrines, including Asaar-e-Sharief Hazratbal, which houses the Holy Relic of Prophet Muhammad, historic Jamia Masjid and other worship places remained closed since the lockdown was announced in March.
Historic Jamia Masjid, stronghold of chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq, remained closed. The main gate of worship place was locked. Interestingly some shops were open in the Jamia market.
However, people said hopefully mosques and shrines will be reopening and they will once again be able to pray in these holy places in the valley. But said everybody is aware about the importance of social distancing and hopefully people will adhere to it once mosques and shrines are reopened for general public.
Authorities and religious organizations announced closure all mosques and shrines in J&K in view of the outbreak of COVID-19 in March this year. The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMEU), an organization of different religious bodies, headed by incarcerated Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq, had appealed to people not to hold any congregational prayers in the wake of pandemic.
No congregational Shab-e-Qadar prayers were offered in any mosque in the valley. No prayers were offered on Jamat-ul-Vida, the last Friday of the holy fasting month Ramzan, in the valley, where Eid-ul-Fitr prayers were offered by people in their respective houses.