Imams deliver short sermons at Friday prayers offered as usual across Kashmir

Srinagar: Amid restrictions in wake of Coronavirus threat Friday congregational prayers were offered in mosques all across Kashmir Valley.
Witnesses said that Friday congregational peace at historic Jamia Masjid concluded peacefully. Around 600 people offered prayers at the mosque and dispersed peacefully after the culmination of prayers.
Sermons were shortened but prayers were offered in different Ahil Hadith mosques in Srinagar city. The Friday prayers were offered in Natipora, Gogjibagh, Nowgam, Chanapora but no Friday prayers were offered in Gawkadal and Ikhrajpora Ahil Hadith mosques.
Friday prayers also concluded peacefully in Ganderbal district. Friday prayers were offered in the district at Jamia Masjid Beehama, Jamia Masjid Meerani Dudharhama, Jamia Masjid Qadeem Kangan. These prayers were led by Molvi Abid Rizvi, Molvi Peer Muhammad Amin Shah and Molvi Ghulam Nabi Ganaie. Around 600 to 700 people each offered prayers in these mosques. The preachers in their sermons made specific reference to the outbreak of Coronavirus and asked Muslim Ummah to seek refuge and pray to Allah that this deadly virus doesn’t spread in Kashmir.
Around 400 to 500 people offered prayers in Jamia Masjid Jadeed in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district where Molvi Khurshid Anwar led these prayers. In Dawar, Gureez around 500 people offered Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid where the prayers were led by Mufti Bilal Ahmed Lone.
Friday prayers were also held in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district. Officials said that no major impact of Coronavirus was seen on gathering in different mosques of Pulwama. People prefer to offer prayers inside the mosques in Pulwama. In Markazi Jamia Masjid Pulwama, where usual gathering is often 1300, around 1000 people offered prayers, but the duration of sermon and prayers were cut short. In rural areas, Friday congregational prayers were offered as usual with normal gatherings. Friday prayers were suspended in all the ‘Ahil-e-Hadith’ Masjids.
Official sources further said that Friday congregational prayers were not offered at Imam Bara Budgam and other Shia mosques. However, prayers were offered at Jamia Masjid Budgam where over 400 people offered prayers. Outside the mosque, District Legal Service Authority Budgam, shortly after the culmination of prayers distributed pamphlets among people suggesting precautionary measures against COVID-19 outbreak.
In Shopian and Kulgam districts, gathering, large gatherings were seen in the mosques. Officials said that unexpectedly large number of people offered prayers but the sermons were shortened at Jamia Masjid Hanfiya, Jamia Masjid DH Pora, Jamia Masjid Yaripora, Jamia Masjid Qoimoh and Jamia Masjid Devsar. The preachers asked people to repent on their misdeeds and seek forgiveness from Allah. They asked people not to panic and have faith in Allah. At some mosques of Kulgam, awareness was given about the preventive measures from COVID-19. These preachers included Molvi Masoom Shah, Molvi Muhammad Amin, Molvi Khurhid Ahmed, Molvi Fayaz Ahmed Rizwi and Molvi Manzoor Ahmed.
No Friday congregational prayers were offered at Jamia Masjid Ahil Hadith in Kulgam.
Friday congregational prayers were offered in Jamia Masjid Hanfiya, Tak Masjid Ahilhadith,Nowa Masjid, Zainpora Jamia Masjid and Keller Jamia Masjid in Shopian district where Molvi Rizwan, Molvi Javaid, Molvi Mudasir, Molvi Sartaj and Molvi Mushtaq delivered sermons.
Prayers were also offered in Anantnag and Baramulla, however, in some mosques belonging to Ahil Hadith, these prayers were suspended.