Special Prayers Held Across Kashmir for Victims of Deadly Quake in Turkiye & Syria

Srinagar: Special prayers were held in all major mosques, shrines and Imam Baras across Kashmir during the Friday congregational prayers to commemorate the victims of the deadly earthquake that hit Turkiye and Syria earlier this week.

According to the management of Jama Masjid in Srinagar, the prayers were led by Imam Hai Moulana Ahmad Saeed Naqshbandi.

“Naqshbandi, on behalf of the people of Kashmir, expressed sympathy and solidarity with the people of Turkiye and Syria and prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls and speedy recovery to those injured,” a statement read. 

Hundreds joined the special prayers to express solidarity with the victims with many calling it a disheartening moment to witness the destruction caused by the calamity.

“I feel for the victims. I had particularly come from Budgam to participate in the prayers. It is the least we could do as a mark of respect for the universal brotherhood,” Javid Ahmad said. 

Over 21,000 people have been killed, a majority of them in Turkiye, since the first tremor – measured 7.8 on Richter scale – shook the Levantine region leaving a trail of destruction as aftershocks further worsened the situation.

The earthquake in Turkiye and Syria also brought back memories of a similar devastating earthquake that hit Kashmir – which is located in a seismic Zone V or a very high-risk zone — in 2005 that killed thousands in the region.

Imam Hai also expressed resentment against the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir for the continued detention of valley’s top religious leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. Farooq has been put under house arrest since the August 2019, termed as “extremely unfortunate and condemnable” by the Jamia’s management. Farooq, who is also inchare of the Jamia management, would give weekly sermons at the mosque.

“Due to the continued detention of Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir, the mimbar-o-mihrab (pulpit) of the Central Jama Masjid has been constantly silent for all these years and he is also unable to discharge his religious duties towards the people,” Naqshbandi said during the address.

He urged the authorities to end the prolonged and unjustified detention of Farooq and called for his release before the occasion of Shab e Miraj – the night of Miraj – to be observed around February 17.

The devotees, who had come from various parts of the valley, to participate in the Friday prayers also expressed resentment against continued detention of Mirwaiz and protested against what the spokesperson termed was the “dictatorial behaviour” of the authorities.