Lucknow: Islamic institutions and clerics have urged the community members to maintain peace during Friday prayers.
The Islamic Centre of India (ICI) has issued a six-point advisory, which says that no sloganeering, protests and demonstrations should be held, before or after Friday prayers. "ICI appeals to all Muslims not to resort to any sloganeering, protests or demonstrations before or after Friday prayers in or outside the mosque. Various individuals and associations, including those representing the community, have taken up the recent issues at the right forum through right channels and the community should not involve itself in taking up the cause individually or as a crowd," said chairman of ICI, Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali.
He asserted that the Muslims should peacefully gather at the mosque for prayers, listen to the mandatory Khutba (sermon) delivered by the priest, offer special prayers for peace, communal harmony in the society and peacefully disperse from the mosque. The advisory says mosques are meant for offering prayers and must be used for offering prayers. "Prophet Mohammed always carried the message of peace, love, compassion and humility and we should take his message forward," he said. Several other clerics including Maulana Kalbe Jawad has also asked members of the community to refrain from any kind of protest and return to their homes after offering Friday prayers. —IANS