With tomorrow being Friday, the Telangana State Waqf Board (TSWB), religious leaders and public representatives have urged people to pray at home and not congregate in large numbers in mosques. The TSWB on Thurday issued a letter to mosque managing committees across the State and cited government orders, including GO MS 45 issued by the General Administration Department, and a fatwa from the Islamic seminary, Jamia Nizamia, and instructed Muslims to pray at home.
Sharia guidelines
“Keeping in view of the above sharia guidelines in mind, it has been instructed to offer Friday prayers with few people (not more than five) in the masjid with short sermon and not allow more than five musallis (congregants) into masjid as per the instructions of the Central government, State government and the fatwa of Islamic scholars without deviation (sic),” an excerpt from the TSWB letter reads. Several mosque managements displayed the TSWB letter on the doors or walls of mosques. A few mosques across the city remained closed.
