First Friday Ramadhan Prayers Passed Off Peacefully In Kashmir

SRINAGAR, Mar 24: The first Friday congregational prayers of the holy Islamic month of Ramadhan was held in all mosques and shrines across the Kashmir valley, officials said. The largest congregational prayers was held at Hazratbal shrine on the bank of famed Dal Lake where thousands of devotees including men, women and children thronged since early today to offer the first Friday prayers of the Ramadhan. The Waqf Board has also made elaborate arrangements for the devotees at the Hazratbal shrine. At historic Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta downtown a large number of people attended the Friday prayers peacefully. The head priest threw light on the Ramadhan fasting and other aspects of the holy month in his Friday sermon.
Reports of first Ramadhan congregational prayers were also held with large gatherings from other mosques and shrines of the valley.
Police said the congregational prayers were held peacefully across the valley. “Friday afternoon Prayers on first Friday of the holy month of Ramzan concluded peacefully in all the mosques of Srinagar”, a police tweet said.
The pictures of Hazratbal shrine and Jamia Masjid Nowhatta with large gathering of devotees were also uploaded on the twitter handle where according to police around 18,000 and 50,000 devotees attended Friday prayers respectively. Today was the second day of the holy month of the Ramadhan in Kashmir valley as the majority of the people kept fast from Thursday. The grand Mufti of Kashmir Nasir-ul-Islam had on Wednesday declared that the moon was not sighted in any part of the valley and the first fasting day of the holy month of the Ramadhan would commence from Friday creating confusion among the people. In wake of the confusion, Chairperson of the Waqf Board Darakshan Andrabi while talking to media persons on the issue on Thursday said that the Waqf board was mulling to constitute its own Ruet-e-Hilal Committee by the next Eid that will be equipped with latest telescope and a control room to decide the Eid crescent in Jammu and Kashmir.