The authorities of Tipu Sultan Masjid, the biggest place of worship for Muslims in the Esplanade area, have decided to bring the time of the afternoon namaz ahead by 20 minutes on Friday, July 21, anticipating a gathering in the vicinity to observe Martyrs' Day.
Martyrs' Day is observed on July 21 every year in remembrance of the 13 people who had been shot dead on this day in 1993 when the police opened fire on a rally of the Youth Congress, demanding that voters' IDs be made mandatory for voting.
The stage 0or Friday's event — where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was a Youth Congress leader in 1993, would be the main speaker — has been put up on the street next to the masjid and a turnout of 8-10 lakh people is expected.
Looking at the security aspect and the present tense situation in the state, the authorities of the trustee board of the masjid have decided to change the timing of the prayers slightly. "It will be brought ahead by about 20 minutes and we hope to wrap up namaz by 1 pm and shut the main doors of the masjid. The situation at present is not good and this change in timing has been decided in a meeting of the committee," Shahid Alam, a co-trustee of the board, told DNA. He also said that along with the police, they would keep a vigil at the masjid to avoid any untoward incident.
Others said that it was not an entirely unprecedented thing, changing the timing had been done before, on rare occasion though but it was in accordance to Shariya or the Islamic rule. "At some masjids the time of Friday afternoon prayer is 12.30 pm and at some it is even as late as 2 pm. These are all within the time bracket to help people to come to the masjid and say their prayers according to their convenience. So if at Tipu Sultan Masjid it is at 12.45 pm, there should not be any problem," said Arif Ahmed, chairman, Golam Mohammed Wakf Estate, which is the custodian of the property.
Mutwalli or caretaker of the trustee board, Shahzada Anwar Ali said that it was done to ensure that people who come for Friday namaz were not inconvenienced. "The conglomeration will be huge. We want to ensure that people who come for the prayers get easy access to the place. It has been done in discussion with the police and senior police officials have appreciated this decision of ours," Ali said talking to DNA. He also said that they did not want the loudspearkers at the rally and those at the masjid not to compete with each other.
TIMINGS CHANGED
- The namaz timings at Tipu Sultan mosque have been changed before.
- But this was done on rare occasions and only in accordance to Shariya, or the Islamic rule of law.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "DNA")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}