Omar, Mehbooba slam closure of Jama Masjid on Id, Hazratbal prayer omission for Iran, Palestine

The closure of the historic Jama Masjid for Id prayers and omission of any special prayers for Iran and Palestine at Srinagar’s Hazratbal shrine by the J&K Waqf Board on Saturday (March 21, 2026) drew criticism from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti.

On the occasion of Id, peaceful congregational prayers were held across Jammu and Kashmir amid heightened security. Special prayers were held for Muslims living in Iran, Palestine and Lebanon, who are facing casualties due to the ongoing war in West Asia.

However, the Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid, the caretaker body of Srinagar’s central mosque, alleged that “restrictions were imposed on the Id congregational prayers at the historic Jama Masjid”. “The authorities’ move was unfortunate and unjustified. Such measures hurt the religious sentiments of millions and undermine the fundamental rights to freely practice one’s faith,” according to Auqaf sources.

Kashmir chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who leads the prayers at the Jama Masjid, was allegedly put under house arrest. “For the seventh consecutive year, amid restrictions and house arrests, Id prayers remain barred at Jama Masjid. It is an irony of our times that those who lock our mosques and Eidgah are the first to wish us Id Mubarak,” Mr. Mirwaiz said.

Jama Masjid closure

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also opposed the Jama Masjid closure. “Id prayers have once again been disallowed at the historic Jama Masjid. Id prayers were offered peacefully across J&K. Security and law enforcement officials repeatedly say that the situation is normal. But what kind of normalcy is this? I hope that such decisions will be changed and people will be allowed to offer their prayers freely,” said Mr. Abdullah, who offered the Id prayers at the Hazratbal shrine along with his father and National Conference (NC) president Dr. Farooq Abdullah.

Mr. Abdullah said he prayed for Muslims caught in war-torn countries of West Asia. “This Id is being celebrated at a time when the whole Ummah is worried. There is a war situation in the world. There might not be a single Islamic country where war is not happening. Today, I prayed that this war imposed on our people is stopped and peace is restored,” said Mr. Abdullah.

Ms. Mufti also offered prayers at the Hazratbal shrine and held “special prayers for Palestine, Lebanon and Iran”. She, however, criticised the priest of the Hazratbal shrine, run by the J&K Waqf Board headed by BJP leader Darakshan Andrabi, for dropping Iran, Palestine and Lebanon from special prayers.

“It was surprising that the head priest at the Hazratbal shrine was praising just one person. There was no mention of Iran, Palestine and Lebanon, where people are facing tough times. The cleric should have prayed for the entire Muslim Ummah,” said Ms. Mufti. She also criticised the closure of the Jama Masjid in Srinagar for Id prayers.

Meanwhile, the J&K Police distributed sweets among worshippers in Jammu city on the occasion.