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In May of 1987, when the curfew was imposed in new Delhi after the tension erupted in some neighborhoods of the following communal riots in Uttar Pradesh, Meerut, Eid prayers were not offered in the iconic Jama Masjid. Thirty-three years later, Delhi, the largest mosque will remain closed to devotees when Eid is celebrated on the Monday.
Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, cited the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic as the reason for the mosque is still closed. In the same way, all other mosques in the city will remain closed to devotees on Eid as a lock continues to be forced to contain the spread of the virus.
Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated to commemorate the end of the holy month of Ramzan during which Muslims observe a fast from dawn until dusk. On the day of Eid, wearing new clothes, the devotees offer prayers in the mosques, and then hug and greet family and friends. After the prayers, people visit each home with great khurma (a traditional dessert) as a usual ritual of the feast. This year, the community will observe the festival in homes without public prayers, hugs, and dawats (meetings).
“It’s going to be difficult for the people to celebrate Eid as this, but we have to do this to protect each other from infection by the coronavirus. People have a huge attachment to the Jama Masjid. But this time everyone has to pray at home. We have already announced that no one will be allowed inside the mosque on Monday. Only the mosque employees who live within offer the prayer in the precinct,” Bukhari said.
Mufti Mukarram Ahmed, the Shahi Imam of the Mosque of Fatehpuri, recalled the last time that Eid prayers were not held in the mosque.
“In 1993, when the curfew was imposed post-Babri Masjid demolition, not to hold Eid prayers at the Fatehpuri mosque, and encouraged the people to offer prayers in their local mosques (Babri Masjid was demolished in December 1992). But this year is unprecedented. The mosque is closed since March due to the pandemic. We are asking people not only to pray in your house, but also avoid roaming in the streets and meetings,” he said.
Haji Miyan Faiyazuddin, 82, of the iconic Haji Hotel in the Jama Masjid area, said that he has never experienced a holiday without a Namaz that is offered in the mosques, of hugs exchanged, and the celebrations in the streets.
“I had gone to my first Eid namaz at Jama Masjid when I was six years old. Even during the cases of the tensions between the communities, namaz was not prohibited in the local mosques as it has been until now. After the namaz, we visited the home of each one. The kids would buy toys and sweets on the way home. We also want to share candy and other treats with our Hindu brothers and they also visit our homes. But, this time, it’s going to be a quiet Eid,” he said.
Faiyazuddin, whose family claims a lineage of five centuries, he said that people must follow all the rules specified for the prevention of the Covid-19. “We can celebrate Eid again next year, but we can’t put everyone in danger the life. Also, people should help those who have lost their livelihoods and loved ones due to this pandemic,” he said.
Traders selling clothes, shoes, and jewelry, and the tailors, which would otherwise be occupied through Ramzan, he said that this would be a “black ” Eid”.
Farookh Ahmed, who runs a ready-made garments showroom in Shaheen Bagh in the neighborhood, said, “We have opened our stores two days after a lapse of five months. The market was first closed because of the anti-CAA protest, and then the Covid-19 security lock. We did not even get a window of a week to sell some clothes before Eid. People also do not purchase as before this year. For us, that is black Eid,” he said.
The reference was to the long protest staged in Shaheen Bagh against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
The Saturday, very few people were seen in the markets for Eid Shopping in the walled city, Batla House, Shaheen Bagh, and other Muslim-dominated areas.
The hashtags of #EidatHome and #EidiforMigrants were also trend on Twitter, asking people to stay at home and help those in need. “Refrain from buying new clothes and instead use the money for the marginal sectors of society,” said Ashhar Uddin, in a tweet.
Rana Safvi, an author, said that she will have a low key celebration at home. “I’m not going to be able to meet with my daughter, who lives in Delhi, while I am in Noida. We’re going to make a video call and greet each other,” he said.
“At this moment, we should celebrate a feast of the compassion. We should give more to those in need. I’m also going to do that,” she added.
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