Jama Masjid to close doors again, this time till June 30

The administrations of some mosques in Delhi said they were considering whether or not they would stay partially open, or shut completely. Others, however, have decided to follow in Jama Masjid’s footsteps and stay shut till June 30.

Old Delhi’s Jama Masjid will be shut till June 30 amid fears over the spike in the number of Covid-19 cases in Delhi, the mosque’s Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari declared on Thursday evening. The iconic mosque had only reopened on Monday, after being shut for over two months due to the nationwide lockdown.

A boy cycles past the Jama Masjid after it was closed by authorities in the wake of rising coronavirus cases in New Delhi on Wednesday. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

Bukhari had sought public opinion on the matter on Tuesday after his personal assistant, Amanullah, died of Covid-19 in Safdarjung Hospital.

“After taking public opinion and consulting scholars, it has been decided that from Maghreb (sunset) today till June 30, no congregational prayers will be performed in Jama Masjid…Only the staff inside the complex will offer five times namaz while the general public is requested to pray at home. The decision taken is just a precautionary measure,” Bukhari said in a statement.

He has also appealed to the heads of other mosques across the country to take a decision regarding the matter depending on their local situation.

The administrations of some mosques in the city said they were considering whether or not they would stay partially open, or shut completely. Others, however, have decided to follow in Jama Masjid’s footsteps and stay shut till June 30.

Mufti Mukarram Ahmed, the Shahi Imam of Fatehpuri Masjid in Chandni Chowk, said, “We have been holding consultations with the imams associations in the city. Jama Masjid has a proper boundary and can be kept closed easily. But this is not the case with other mosques. We are planning to keep the mosque partially open and allow only a few who do not have any other place to go to offer the daily prayers. A decision is yet to be taken.”

He added that they will request locals to pray at home like they used to do during the lockdown.

Maulana Mohd Suleiman of Khajur Wali Masjid in Daryaganj, said, “We have eight or 10 small mosques around Daryaganj. Most have agreed to stay shut till June 30 following the Shahi Imam’s decision. We have a meeting with others to request them to join us in this fight against the virus.”

Similarly, Hafiz Mohammad Javed, president, Purani Masjid Panchsheel Enclave, Chirag Dilli, said they have been making regular announcements and circulating messages on social media requesting people to pray at home. “We have decided to remain shut till June-end. We are asking people to think of their homes as places of worship and stay safe,” Javed said.