Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board which manages Muslim shrines, mosques, and educational institutes in the Himalayan region of Kashmir on Saturday said that Eid prayers will not be allowed at Eidgah Srinagar.
For the first time in Jammu and Kashmir, the Waqf Board is headed by a Woman BJP leader, In march, the administration unanimously appointed Dr Darakshan Andrabi, a national executive member of the saffron party, as its chairperson.
An official of J&K Waqf Board said that there is a weather forecast of heavy downpour for the coming few days and it would not be possible for the Waqf to make requisite arrangements.
He said that the Waqf has advised the Jamia Auqaf to ask followers to offer prayers in covered spaces of local Masjids.
Notably, Anjuman Auqaf had on July 06 wrote to the J&K Waqf board to make necessary arrangements for offering Eid prayers at 9 am at Eidgah Srinagar on July 10.
Auqaf has also stated that in case of inclement weather, the congregational Eid prayers will be offered at the Central Jamia Masjid, Srinagar at the scheduled time and all arrangements are pre-requisite there as well for the ease of devotees.
According to Muslims, the celebration of Eid-ul-Adha (greater eid) is to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s devotion to Allah and his readiness to sacrifice his son, Ismail. At the very point of sacrifice, Allah replaced Ismail with a ram, which was to be slaughtered in place of his son.
Muslims believe this command from Allah was a test of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness and commitment to obey his Lord’s command, without question. Therefore, Eid-ul-Adha means the festival of sacrifice.
The day of Eid-ul-Adha falls on the tenth day in the final (twelfth) month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar; Dhu-al-Hijjah. The day that celebrations fall on is dependent on a legitimate sighting of the moon, following the completion of the annual Holy Pilgrimage of Hajj which is an obligation for all Muslims who fit specific criteria, one of the important Five Pillars of Islam.
(With KNO Inputs)