People from the Muslim community pray for Id Al-Fitr at the Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar on Saturday, March 21, 2026. Photo credit: Imran Nissar
The closure of the historic Jama Masjid for Eid prayers and the omission of any special prayers for Iran and Palestine at the Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar by the J&K Waqf Board on Saturday (March 21, 2026) drew criticism from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Muhbob Mehboob.
Peaceful congregational prayers were held amid heightened security in Jammu and Kashmir on the occasion of Id. Special prayers were held for Muslims living in Iran, Palestine and Lebanon who are facing casualties due to the ongoing war in West Asia.
However, the Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid, the administrator of the central mosque in Srinagar, claimed that “restrictions have been imposed on congregational Id prayers at the historic Jama Masjid.” “The action of the authorities was unfortunate and unjustified. Such measures hurt the religious sentiments of millions of people and undermine the fundamental rights to freely practice their faith,” Auqaf sources said.
Kashmiri chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who leads prayers at the Jama Masjid, has reportedly been placed under house arrest. “For the seventh consecutive year, amid restrictions and house arrest, Id prayers remain banned at Jama Masjid. It is an irony of our times that those who lock our mosques and Eidgahs are the first to wish us Id Mubarak,” Mr Mirwaiz said.
Closure of Jama Masjid
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also opposed the closure of Jama Masjid. “Id prayers have again been banned at the historic Jama Masjid. Id prayers were offered peacefully across J&K. The security and law enforcement agencies repeatedly say that the situation is normal. But what is this normality? I hope such decisions will be changed and people will be allowed to offer their prayers freely,” said Mr. Abdullah, who along with IdNC President (IdNC) offered the prayers along with his father and the National Conference President. Farooq Abdullah.
Mr Abdullah said he prayed for Muslims trapped in war-torn countries in West Asia. “This Id is celebrated at a time when the whole Ummah is worried. There is a war situation in the world. Perhaps there is not a single Islamic country where war is not going on. I prayed today that this war imposed on our people be stopped and peace be restored,” Mr Abdullah said.
Mrs. Mufti also prayed at the Hazratbal shrine and offered “special prayers for Palestine, Lebanon and Iran.” But she criticized the priests of the Hazratbal shrine, run by the J&K Waqf Board headed by BJP leader Darakshan Andrabi, for excluding Iran, Palestine and Lebanon from special prayers.
“It was surprising that the head priest at the Hazratbal shrine praised only one person. There was no mention of Iran, Palestine and Lebanon where people are facing difficult times. The cleric should have prayed for the entire Muslim Ummah,” Ms Mufti said. She also criticized the closure of the Jama Masjid in Srinagar for Eid prayers.
Meanwhile, J&K Police distributed sweets among the devotees in Jammu city on the occasion.
Published – 21 March 2026 21:51 IST
