Closure of Srinagar’s Jama Masjid on Shab‑e‑Barat draws criticism

ISLAMABAD: Srinagar’s historic Jama Masjid in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) was closed on Tuesday evening, preventing congregational prayers on Shab‑e‑Barat, a night of deep spiritual significance for Muslims, according to Indian media.

The decision by Indian authorities left worshippers dismayed and the mosque’s custodians frustrated, as the Night of Forgiveness marks the 15th night of Sha’ban and is traditionally observed with night‑long prayers.

According to the Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid, officials accompanied by police arrived earlier in the day to announce that congregational Isha prayers and the special night vigil would not be permitted. 

The managing body was instructed to lock the mosque’s gates immediately, and armed police were deployed around the mosque to prevent people from gathering.

Interference in religious rights 

The Auqaf said the directive came shortly after Asr prayers, with police insisting the mosque remain closed throughout the night despite preparations for the observance. 

The organization expressed regret over the disruption of another major religious occasion and noted that its head, Mirwaiz Muhammad Umar Farooq, was under house arrest. 

The statement said repeated restrictions since 2019 amount to interference in the community’s religious rights.

Mirwaiz Farooq, Kashmir’s chief Muslim cleric, posted on social media that while mosques across Kashmir were illuminated for Shab‑e‑Barat, Jama Masjid remained closed under surveillance.

Preventing peaceful religious assemblies 

He described the closure as part of a long pattern of curbs on religious gatherings and questioned the official narrative of “normalcy.”

The Anjuman Auqaf condemned the authorities’ approach and urged reconsideration of policies that prevent peaceful religious assemblies. 

Officials provided no specific explanation for the closure, describing it only as a “preventive” or “precautionary” measure. 

An anonymous police officer said it was intended to avert potential law‑and‑order issues, but did not clarify how prayers inside the mosque could pose a risk, Indian media reported.