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Haryana violence: No Friday prayers in Gurugram mosques, says Muslim council

The Muslim council in Gurugram has urged the faithful to avoid offering namaz in mosques and open areas on Friday due to the recent violence.

Updated on: Aug 4, 2023, 05:49:09 IST
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The Muslim council in Gurugram on Thursday appealed to the faithful to not offer namaz in mosques and open areas on Friday, in a bid to avoid any untoward incident in the wake of the Nuh violence. However, the district administration and police have made tight security arrangements and deployed heavy force at all the mosques across the city to maintain law and order.

Muslim Ekta Manch President Haji Sajjad Khan said Friday prayers will not be offered in the open in Gurugram. (Photo by Santosh Kumar / Hindustan Times/ Representational)
Muslim Ekta Manch President Haji Sajjad Khan said Friday prayers will not be offered in the open in Gurugram. (Photo by Santosh Kumar / Hindustan Times/ Representational)

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Altaf Ahmad, spokesperson, Gurgaon Muslim Council, said the imams of Gurugram have made an appeal to the Muslim community in the city to not reach mosques for juma namaz on Friday, as police apprehend trouble by miscreants.

“For the Muslim community, juma namaz is a mandatory obligation which needs to happen in congregation; however given the recent communal violence, they will most likely stay away from offering prayers in mosques, at least this week,” he said.

Muslim Ekta Manch President Haji Sajjad Khan said Friday prayers will not be offered in the open in Gurugram. “Previously also, there has been opposition to open namaz in Gurugram and taking the Nuh violence into consideration, this decision has been taken for the safety of our people,” he said.

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Mufti Saleem Qasmi, president of Jamiat Ulama in Gurugram, appealed to people through a video message to refrain from praying in public places or gathering in mosques.

Qasmi said it is the responsibility of the people to maintain brotherhood. “I appeal to the people not to offer namaz in the open and to remain in their homes. Only those people who live in a masjid can offer namaz inside,” he said.

Members of the Muslim community on Thursday met DC Nishant Kumar Yadav to discuss security measures and to ensure that no fresh violence erupts on Friday.

Yadav said they have deployed police teams at all mosques and all safety measures are in place. “The situation is under control and even if people want to offer namaz at mosques, arrangements have been made for them to peacefully do so,” he said, adding that officials have been deployed at all sensitive areas.

Hindu-right outfits had on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to a deputy commissioner of Police demanding, among many other things, a ban on namaz in public places.

In Nuh, deputy commissioner Prashant Panwar and superintendent of police Varun Singla held a meeting with the ulemas of Nuh on Thursday and appealed to them to pray at their homes. Ulemas assured police that there will be no public namaz, said officials.

  • Leena Dhankhar
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Leena Dhankhar

    Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More