‘No reason to call for praying at home when Kashmir is virus free so far, Will take a call if situation worsens God forbid’
Abid Bashir
Srinagar, March 15: Kashmir’s Grand Mufti, Nasir-ul-Islam on Sunday said the Islamic law—shariah doesn’t permit avoiding religious congregations including Friday prayers when the pendemic like Coronavirus has not even spread in Kashmir. He said time is ripe for organizing congregational repentance prayers in masjids across Kashmir and the Imams are advised upoun to lead such prayers to seek Allah’s refuge from the Covid-19.
According to wire service— the Grand Mufti said that, however, was quick to add that in case god-forbid, anybody tests positive in Kashmir, which is not the case so far, the Ulema will sit and unanimously decide about the “strategy to be adopted.”
“I don’t see any reason to call for banning congregational prayers at masjids and shrines as the virus has not spread in Kashmir yet. As per the official figures, not a single case has tested positive and we should be thankful to Almighty Allah for that,” Mufti Nasir said. He urged Imams and Molvis of all the shrines and masjids across Kashmir to organize prayers for repentance across Kashmir to seek Allah’s refuge from the deadly virus.
The Grand Mufti, as per news agency, said that every day, there should be “mass repentance prayers in every masjid across the Valley.” “There is no need to avoid congregational prayers of Fridays or other prayers of the day. People should not make Covid-19 an excuse to offer prayers at home. Islam doesn’t allow lame excuses and there should be solid reason to pray at home, which I don’t see anywhere,” he said.
As per official figures, only two cases have tested positive in Jammu region of J&K while as no case has been tested positive in Kashmir so far even though hundreds of people have been screened and over 1000 samples taken for testing so far reported KNO.
