Juma congregations took place at several mosques across Malappuram and Palakkad on Friday in spite of repeated warnings from the health authorities against assembling of people in view of COVID-19 scare.
When traditional Sunni mosques conducted Juma prayers, although in a curtailed fashion, several Mujahid mosques abandoned the congregation. A few Sunni mosques in Palakkad cancelled their congregation as there were confusions among people.
Some mosques, like the one on Arikkara Street in Palakkad town, held Juma in a nominal fashion soon after the Adan (prayer call) without waiting for people to turn up. Shutters of mosque halls were pulled down as part of imposing restrictions on people. When Juma at Meparamba, Mettupalayam Street, and the Civil Station mosques in Palakkad was cancelled, mosques at Narukutty and Kalmandapam witnessed a large gathering of people for prayers.
Most Sunni mosques in Malappuram witnessed normal gatherings for Juma prayers. Children and elderly people were dissuaded from attending the prayers. Mosques had kept soaps and sanitisers for the public. People reached for prayers after having had the mandatory wudu (ablutions) from home.
Mujahid mosques shut
But Mujahid mosques in Malappuram district, including the Salafi Masjid at Perinthalmanna where more than 2,000 people gather every Friday, were shut for Juma. All Salafi mosques under the Wisdom Islamic Organisation will remain closed for the public until March 31. Although prayer calls will be made from the mosques, no group prayers will be allowed inside, said Wisdom leadership in a circular in Malappuram on Friday.
The Sunni leadership, which has been indecisive about cancelling Juma prayers in the wake of the COVID-19 scare, has evoked criticism from the State authorities.
