COVID-19: Muslims in Lucknow, Bareilly offer Friday prayers from home

Thousands of Muslims on Friday offered prayers at home adhering to the advice of religious leaders in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

The imam of the city's Jama Masjid Idgah, Khalid Rasheed Faranglimahli, and rector of Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema Sayeed-ur Rehman Azmi along with others had made appeals to Muslims to offer 'Juma Namaz' at home.

Imam-e-Juma Maulana Kalbe Jawad Naqvi had earlier suspended special Friday prayers in the mosques for two weeks.

"There are around 800 mosques in the state capital, of which 50 are such where hundreds of Muslims offer Friday prayers together," Farangimahli said.

Besides, all Muslim boards asked people to follow the advisories of the government and practice social distancing to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has claimed 17 lives across the country.

In Bareilly, majority of the Muslims offered Friday prayers at home keeping in mind the 21-day lockdown imposed in the country.

General secretary of Tanzeem-ul-Islam Maulana Shahabuddin Rizvi said not more than five people were present in each of the mosques in the city.

Bareilly District Magistrate Nitish Kumar said people offered namaz at their homes and there were no mass gatherings.