No Prayers Allowed At Historic Jamia Masjid on Jumat-ul-Vida in Srinagar

BJP-government has turned entire J&K into prison: Mehbooba Mufti

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir administration did not allow the Juma-Tul-Vida prayers, last Friday of holy Ramzan in historic Jamia Masjid and put religious leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house arrest besides locking the main mosque on Friday, April 05, 2025.

The main roads leading to the historic mosque wore a deserted look on this occasion, which is usually marked a heavy influx of Muslim devotees on the last Friday of holy fasting month of Ramzan. This is an occasion for special prayers and has a great significance for Muslim devotees for supplications, to seek forgiveness, blessings and mercy from Allaha the holy month nears its end.

In a statement to the press, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq called a press conference at his residence in this regard which was again disallowed by authorities.

Video courtesy: Mirwaiz Manzil

Following is the text of the video message the Mirwaiz released on social media.
“Today on the auspicious occasion of Juma-tul-vida, I would like to greet you and the Muslim ummah. It would have been a different experience if I could extend this greeting to you in person at Jama Masjid and you would be there to receive it. But for the fifth Consecutive year, the state authorities have once again locked the gates of historic and central Jamia Masjid Srinagar and put me under house arrest. Juma-tul-vida has a great significance for us Muslims as it is a day of special prayers and supplications, to seek forgiveness, blessings, and mercy from Allah as the month of Ramadan nears its end, and offering prayers at the central Jamia Masjid on the last Friday of Ramzan has great reward and favour with Allah. So Lakhs of people, including men women and children, from near and far, from all districts of the valley, from rural and remote areas come to Jama Masjid on this day to participate in this specially blessed and rewarding Friday congregational prayer which comes once in a year.”
The statement said, “It is extremely sad and unfortunate that the authorities snatched this opportunity from  us and forcibly  locked the gates of Jama Masjid not allowing this great religious congregation to take place, causing great distress, anguish and pain to you and me. We the People of Jammu Kashmir protest this authoritarianism and direct violation of our religious rights.”
It said, “Repeatedly this centre of Islam in Kashmir is subject to enforced lockdowns by the authorities. And repeatedly I am put under house arrest on Fridays to prevent me from going to Jama Masjid. Each Friday is a day of uncertainty and anxiety for me as I do not know if I will be allowed to go to Jamia Masjid or not depending on the will of the authorities. A few hours before noon I am conveyed what that decision is and if I can go to Jamia Masjid or not. This is the most arbitrary and authoritarian way to function and is highly regrettable.”
The statement said, “But as the Quran preaches ‘innallaha-maas-sabireen’ Undoubtedly Allah is with the patient! So we have to follow this path of being patient.”
Mirwaiz said, “Today we are all painfully aware of the great suffering that the people of Palestine are going through. Let us remember them in our prayers today that may Allah ease their suffering and pain and deliver them justice. Let us also remember thousands of our youth and political prisoners, leaders languishing in jail for years and pray for their health and early release.”

BJP turned entire J&K into prison: Mehbooba Mufti

Unfortunate that on the blessed occasion of Jumat-ul-Vida historic Jama Masjid was closed & Mirwaiz was put under house arrest.
In the entire country Masjids are being demolished & Muslims are hounded, beaten & forced to chant slogans of other religions: @MehboobaMufti pic.twitter.com/QlVFd3zRqe

— J&K PDP (@jkpdp) April 5, 2024

The J&K Peoples’ Democratic President Mehbooba Mufti said that the normalcy claims of BJP have fallen flat with the closure of historic Jamia Masjid on the occasion of Jumat-ul-Vida and putting Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house arrest, saying the saffron party has turned entire J&K into a prison.

She said, “Unfortunate that on the blessed occasion of Jumat-ul-Vida historic Jamia Masjid was closed & Mirwaiz was put under house arrest. In the entire country Masjids are being demolished & Muslims are hounded, beaten & forced to chant slogans of other religions.”

Talking to media persons at Dargah Hazratbal, Mehbooba as per KNS, a local news gathering agency, expressed resentment over closure of historic Jama Masjid and house arrest of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on eve of Jumat-ul-Vida. She said, “Owing such actions of the BJP dispensation I am deeply concerned over future of Muslims across the country.”

“Our historic Jamia Masjid was closed. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been kept under house arrest. Mosques across the country are being demolished, while religious seminaries (Madrasa’s) are being locked. Also Muslims are being beaten up and being compelled to raise slogans of other faiths. Faithful across the country are being lynched,” Mehbooba as per KNS said.

She said, “I’m very much concerned over this hateful atmosphere and feel threat for future of Muslims”.

PDP President said that actions started by BJP after August 05, 2019 are going on unabated. “The claims of BJP falls flat that there is normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir, instead they have turned the entire region ino a prison,” Mehbooba added.

Mehbooba offered her Friday prayers at Hazratbal Dargah in Srinagar. She posted on her social media handle X.

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