The Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, the largest body of Islamic clerics in the State, has asked the mosques under it to rearrange the Juma mass prayer timings on Friday in view of the polling.
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Neighbouring mosques will reset their Juma prayer timing in such a way as to help Muslim voters take part in the polling process. However, the rearrangements will be well within one hour after mid-day.
In other words, the prayer timings will be rearranged between 12.30 p.m. and 1.30 p.m. For example, if one mosque has the Juma prayer time at 12.45 p.m., the mosque in its immediate neighbourhood will have it after 1 p.m. so that voters cannot afford to miss the mandatory mass prayers.
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The Samastha has reminded the people of the importance of exercising their franchise, and told them to use their voting rights carefully.
However, most Muslim organisations were of the opinion that polling would not affect the Juma prayers. There were demands from different organisations, including the Samastha, to put off the polling in view of the mid-day Juma prayers on Friday. However, the Election Commission has ignored the demands.
A Najeeb Moulavi, revered Islamic scholar and general secretary of the Kerala Samsthana Jamiyyathul Ulama, said that Islamic law would excuse voters to skip the Juma prayers for voting if they had no other choice.
He said that polling officials who are Muslim should pay attention to their duty, and it would be permissible for them to skip the Juma.