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UP Muslims bid ‘Alvida’ to Ramzan, sport black armbands to protest waqf bill
International Quds Day is an annual event held on the last Friday of the Ramzan month to express solidarity for the Palestine cause
: Muslims bade farewell to Ramzan as they offered Alvida Juma (last Friday of the holy month) prayers here in Lucknow and elsewhere. Many namazis wore black armbands to register their protest against the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill. The call for protest was given by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB). The prayers were offered outside prominent mosques amidst tight security arrangements.
International Quds Day was also observed after the Alvida Juma prayers outside Asafi Imambada as a mark of protest against atrocities inflicted by Israel on Palestine. International Quds Day is an annual event held on the last Friday of the Ramzan month to express solidarity for the Palestine cause.
Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, the Imam of Aishbagh Eidgah, Lucknow, and chairman of Islamic Centre of India, headed the Alvida prayers wearing a black armband at Aishbagh Eidgah.
“Prayers on the last Friday of Ramzan were offered across Lucknow today and people prayed for the development of the country and for peace in Palestine. We also appeal to international organisations to find a way out and ensure justice for the Palestinian Muslims,” stated Maulana Khalid Rasheed.
On the protest against the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill, Maulana Khalid Rasheed stated, “The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) had appealed to all Muslims to tie black armbands to their right hands to express their protest against this bill so that a message could reach the Parliament that all Indian Muslims are against this bill and it should not be passed. We believe this bill is not in our interest.”
Earlier on Thursday evening, AIMPLB had issued an appeal asking all Muslims to wear black armbands to register their protest against the said bill.
“The Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 is a sinister conspiracy aimed at depriving Muslims of their mosques, Eidgahs, madrasas, dargahs, khanqahs, graveyards, and charitable institutions. If this bill is passed, hundreds of these institutions will be taken away from us,” stated AIMPLB in their appeal.
Meanwhile, International Quds Day was observed at Asafi Masjid at Bada Imambada in Lucknow after the Alvida prayers on the call given by Majlis-e-Ulema-e-Hind against the alleged atrocities by Israel on Palestinians.
While members of the Shia community offered prayers at Asafi Masjid (Bada Imambada), those from the Sunni community gathered at Teele Wali Masjid and Aishbagh Eidgah among other mosques.
Police had deployed 1000 non-gazetted officers and 12 gazetted officers supervised by senior officials. Apart from this, nine companies of PAC were also deployed outside prominent mosques during the prayers.
The main routes and important places such as Teele Wali Masjid, Asafi Masjid, Aishbagh Idgah and intersections used by the public were monitored with the help of drones and CCTV cameras, while women police personnel in civvies and Anti-Romeo Squad, Pink Patrol, 112 were also deployed to keep a vigilant eye.
