Uttar Pradesh Sunni, Shia Waqf Boards Appeal To Muslims To Offer 'Shab-e-Barat' Prayers At Home
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board and the UP Shia Central Waqf Board in separate statements directed trustees and managing committees of shrines and cemeteries registered with them not to allow those seeking to offer prayers for 'Shab-e-Baraat' to enter their premises. Both the bodies further said that they should instead ask them to pray at home on upcoming Shab-e-Baraat festival on Thursday, April 9.
The directive by the heads of the Waqf Boards of both the Sunni and Shia community comes in view of the lockdown imposed by the Centre across the country in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. SM Shoaib, Chief Executive of the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board issued a statement to this effect which was followed by a similar directive from the Shia Waqf Board of the state.
UP Shia Central Waqf Board has also directed trustees & managing committees of shrines and cemeteries registered with it to not let people enter their premises and instead ask them to pray at home on upcoming Shab e Baraat festival on April 9. #COVID19 https://t.co/p6KzSiErXO
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 7, 2020
'Shab-e-Baraat' is an important Muslim holiday celebrated on the 14th night of the Islamic month of Shaaban. The festival of Shab-e-Baraat has great religious significance to Muslims for a number of reasons, and is observed as a night of salvation and deliverance. Apart from night-long prayers, many Muslims visit the graves of their ancestors on the night of 'Shab-e-Baraat'.