Ayodhya: Friday’s prayers in all Ayodhya’s mosques will be offered after 2 in the afternoon in view of Holi’s celebrations this week, said a prominent cleric of the city. Ayodhya chief cleric Mohammad Haneef issued instructions on Wednesday for Juma Namaz this week, which is also the second Friday of the month of Ramzan.
The authorities are discussing Namaz’s times in many places as Friday’s prayers coincide with Holi’s celebrations on March 14.
Ayodhya district magistrate (DM) Chandra Vijay Singh said that adequate security arrangements have been made for Holi meetings and the Peace Committee are also being held to avoid any community tension.
Speaking to PTI, Mohammad Haneef, who is also the president of the Central Mosque of Ayodhya, Masjid Sarai, said that the moment of Juma’s sentences would be adjusted to accommodate Holi’s celebrations.
“Taking into account the time of the Holi Festival, we have addressed all the mosques that offer juma sentences after 2 pm while the window for juma sentences remains open until 4.30 pm,” said Haneef.
“I have also urged all members of the Muslim community to be patient and generous during Holi. If someone applies color, they must respond with a smile and say ‘Holi Mubarak’ in the spirit of love and respect.”
“This is not the first time that Holi and Juma agreed. This happens frequently and is an opportunity to foster unity,” he said.
Haneef, also the ‘Ameer’ of Tabchi Markaz in Ayodhya, extended the sincere greetings Holi to people. “We wish our Hindu brothers the best for Holi. We share their joy and stay with them to celebrate,” he said.
Ayodhya’s district magistrate (DM), Chandra Vijay Singh, said police staff have been parked in all Holika Dahan sites to maintain order. Holika Dahan will be held on March 13.
He said that Holika Dahan will only be allowed in established traditional sites, not new to “guarantee security and avoid adverse incidents.
“A control room has been established to handle any emergency. We are also parking the police personnel in all the Holika Dahan sites to maintain order. The administration remains attentive, especially as the sacred month of Ramzan continues. The meetings of the Peace Committee are held with religious leaders and prominent members of the community in cities and towns to guarantee peaceful celebrations,” the DM said.
Previously, a circle officer in Sambhal of UP started a row by saying that those who feel uncomfortable with Holi’s colors should remain inside, since the festival arrives only once a year, while Juma Namaz takes place 52 times in a year.
The prime minister, Yogi Adityanath, supported the comments of the Sambhal police officer, saying that the official may have spoken as a “Pehelwan”, but what he said was correct.
Before the festival, many mosques in the state have changed Friday’s prayer times in Holi.
The IMAM of Lucknow Eidgah has asked the mosques to hold the Namaz Juma at 2 pm of that day. He also advised Muslims to offer sentences in a nearby mosque, instead of going to a distant.
In Sambhal, it has been decided that Hindus would celebrate Holi until 2.30 PM of March 14 and the Muslims would offer Namaz after 2.30 PM, according to a senior police officer.
The main MUFTI of Aligarh, Khalid Hameed, urged Muslims to take all precautions to ensure that the Holi festival passes peacefully in a cordial atmosphere.