The decision has been taken by Muslim clerics after an appeal by the UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to shift timings of Friday prayers in order to maintain peace and communal harmony.
Upholding the Ganga-Jamuni tehjeeb of Awadh, Muslim clerics in Uttar Pradesh have extended timings of Friday prayers for their Hindu brethren to celebrate the festival of colours with all fervor. Holi will be played on March 2, coinciding with Friday prayers.
The decision has been taken by Muslim clerics after an appeal by the UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to shift timings of Friday prayers in order to maintain peace and communal harmony. The state government has intelligence input that some anti-social elements may try to vitiate peace and communal harmony on Holi by throwing colours on members of minority community while they offer 'juma namaj'.
As a goodwill gesture to the Chief Minister's appeal, Imam Idgah and chairman of Islamic Centre of India Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali have decided to shift the juma namaj timings by one hour from 12.45 pm to 1.45 pm for the Sunnis. On the other hand, Shia Cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad, too, extended the jumah namaj timings by 45 minutes from 12.22 pm to 1 pm for Shiite Muslims.
The religious heads of the two sects have appealed to Imams across the state to extend timings of the Friday prayers to avoid any unpleasant incident during Holi. Though the state government, too, has fixed timings for playing Holi — till 12.30 pm — but it usually goes beyond it.
"A large number of Muslims offer juma namaj. We have extended the prayer timings this Friday to facilitate Hindu brethren play Holi and to avoid any incident of colours being thrown on those out to offer prayers on the day," said Maulana Khalid Rasheed.
"It is our tradition and duty to pay respect to religious sentiments of both the communities and observe festivals in that light. Since Holi is coinciding with juma namaj, we appeal to members of both the communities to cooperate on the day," he urged.
Lucknow has an unique tradition of members of both the communities celebrating the festival of colours together. Hindus take out a Holi procession, while Muslims welcome them at minority-dominated Akbari Gate. They play colours together and hug each other to exchange festival greetings.
The Yogi Adityanath government has directed DGP OP Singh to make elaborate security arrangements on March to ensure that no untoward incident should occur in any part of the state during Holi and Friday prayers. The Chief Minister has also directed the power and municipal authorities for uninterrupted supply of electricity and water on Holi.
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