New Delhi, May 02: Some Muslim community leaders have suggested an end to the practice of offering Friday prayers on public roads, an outcome of lack of space in urban mosques but sometimes a subject of political controversy.
The Zakat Foundation of India, the largest Muslim charity in the country, is spearheading a nationwide search for space so that prayers do not have to spill over from mosques to roads on Fridays or during festivals such as Id. The foundation has support from the likes of the Muslim Council and the Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind, India’s largest Muslim organisation.
“As good Muslims we should appreciate that causing inconvenience to others while offering namaz is against the true spirit of Allah’s religion,” Zakat president Syed Zafar Mahmood said, without referring to any political angle.
Although lack of space is the real cause, the public namaz has often been turned into a political-communal issue in some parts of the country. The Shiv Sena used it as a provocative slogan during the 1992-93 Bombay riots and started its own version of maha aarati on roads in retaliation.
Mahmood acknowledged that lack of space for prayers was a problem. “We need to find a long-term solution,” he said, adding that Zakat would scout for space across the country for Friday prayers.
“We are looking for space in the vicinity of mosques — or in the same locality — that remains vacant during that time, including educational institutions administered by Muslims or big landed properties owned by them. We will persuade those who control these spaces to allow them to be used for Friday prayers,’’ he said.
Moulana Ahmed Illyasi of the Jamiat accepted that offering prayers on roads “inconveniences others” but added: “They (the faithful) have no option. If alternatives can be provided, nobody would want to offer namaz on roads.”
Muslim leaders are also eyeing wakf properties controlled by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for the purpose.
“When there are so many mosques across the country under the custody of the ASI, Muslim brothers will not be forced to offer namaz on roads,’’ Mahmood said.
Raqueeb M of the Muslim Council said: “We feel the government should ask the ASI to allow namaz inside mosques (at historical monuments) at least in areas where there are no other mosques,” he said.
The ASI, however, is not keen. “The rule is that no heritage monument should be thrown open for religious rites if there was no such practice when the monument was taken over by the ASI. If we start making exceptions, there would be no end to it,” said K.K. Muhammed, ASI regional director.
Zakat foundation, however, has appealed to Muslims to send it the names and addresses of mosques that are cramped for space, and the number of namazis spilling onto the roads or others’ properties during Friday prayers.
-Agencies