Clerics appeal to faithful to stay indoors for Eid

PUNE Muslim community leaders and clerics have appealed to the community to stay indoors on the occasion of Eid Ul Fitr, on May 13

PUNE Muslim community leaders and clerics have appealed to the community to stay indoors on the occasion of Eid Ul Fitr, on May 13.

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Announcements from mosque loudspeakers, and via social media have been made for Muslims to stay at home.

This is the second year that communitarian prayers will not happen in the festival day, given the state’s Covid restrictions in place.

Cleric Qari Idrees, president, Jamiat Ulema E Hind, Pune, said, “We have appealed to Pune Muslims this time to offer Eid namaaz at home, following the statewide Coronavirus lockdown. During the entire holy month of Ramzan we asked community members to break their roza (fast) at home and refrain from coming to the masjids. We fully support the state and city health department in ensuring that the Covid-19 chain is broken,” he said.

All the 1,000-plus seminaries-cum-mosques in the city have appealed to mMuslims to offer Eid namaz at home.

Maulana Abbas Amir Hamza of the Jama Masjid im Kondhwa Budruk said, “We have been advising muslims of Pune to offer Eid prayers in their homes as a safety shield against Covid-19, as large congregations are unsafe. It is easy task in today’s world of digital media to listen to Eid prayers on a ‘live’ stream. We have received a positive response from the masses.”

Altaf Shaikh, MIM youth wing leader, said, “The community members have adhered to the calls to offer prayer indoors. I will be offering prayers inside my house and listen to the khutba (sermon) ‘live’ along with my children.”