Prayers an obligation but precautions necessary: Valley cleric

Srinagar: A valley-based cleric has asked people to take necessary precautions against coronavirus threat even as he said that mandatory Friday prayers should be offered in Masajid in a routine manner across Kashmir.

In view of the coronavirus pandemic, panic has gripped Kashmir with debates arising whether Friday prayers can be avoided and offered at homes instead.

Mufti Ahmad Sayeed, a religious preacher at Darul-Uloom-Bilaliya, Srinagar told The Kashmir Monitor that congregational prayers are mandatory to be offered on Friday.

“It is a religious obligation to keep oneself neat and clean. Besides precautions can be taken but Friday prayers have to be offered as a large gathering,” the cleric told The Kashmir Monitor.

The newspaper tried to reach several other clerics, including ones from Darul Uloom Raheemiya, the largest Islamic seminary in Kashmir, for their views however no one was available to comment.

As and when the responses come, this story will be accordingly updated.