Srinagar: Shab-e-Qadar, the night of power and blessings, was observed across Kashmir Valley with religious fervour as the revered Hazratbal Shrine in the summer capital here witnessed the largest congregation of devotees, officials said on Friday.
People thronged mosques and shrines across the valley Thursday night for prayers and recitation of the Quran as the fasting month of Ramzan is about to end.
Over one hundred thousand devotees gathered at Hazratbal shrine on the banks of Dal Lake, which houses the Holy Relic of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), officials said.
Large gatherings were also witnessed at several other mosques and shrines, including at Dast-e-Geer Sahib and Sayed Yaqoob Shah shrines.
However, no congregations and prayers were allowed at the historic Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta locality of the city as the authorities ordered the closure of the grand mosque, the officials added.
Muslims across the world perform night-long prayers on the 26th night of Ramzan to celebrate the first revelation of the Holy Quran to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Preachers and religious scholars highlighted the teachings of Islam and various aspects of the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and urged Muslims to follow the same.
Today once again, worshippers thronged mosques and shrines across Kashmir to observe Jumat-ul-Vida, the last Friday of the holy month of Ramzan, with the largest congregation held at Dargah Hazratbal where over one Lakh people gathered for prayers.
Authorities had made arrangements at Dargah Hazratbal to facilitate the movement of devotees. The Traffic department ensured smooth vehicular flow and designated parking spaces, while additional buses were deployed to ferry worshippers from different parts of the city.
However, Srinagar Jama Masjid remained closed both for night-long prayers (Shab) as well as congregational Friday prayers.
“Jama Masjid continues to remain closed to people and I under house detention even today on Juma-Tul-Vida, when lakhs of people eagerly await the whole year to offer congregational prayers on this blessed Friday for great reward and blessing from Allah,” Mirwaiz said in a post on microblogging site X.
Mirwaiz said he wanted to ask the authorities why this most important centre of Kashmir’s religious identity was “repeatedly targeted and people’s fundamental right to religious practice curbed, when tall claims of normalcy are trumpeted every day?”
“Those ruling in people’s name cannot absolve themselves from standing up to address this gross injustice towards Muslims of the Valley and the repeated closure of #JamaMasjid (sic),” he said, referring to the National Conference-led Jammu and Kashmir government.
