Yogi Adityanath has today thanked the Muslim community in Uttar Pradesh for shifting the Namaz hours on Holi as the Hindu festival fell on a Friday.
There has not been a single riot in the state in last 11 months. You celebrated Holi recently. I told authority Holi comes only once a year & appealed to our Muslim brothers to shift Friday Namaaz hours. I thank them that they made this possible: #UttarPradesh CM Yogi Adityanath pic.twitter.com/3byOui9yGl
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 4, 2018
The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh had directed officials to approach Muslim clerics to check if Jummah prayers on Friday could be altered. Firangi Mahali, Sunni cleric and President of the Islamic Center of India had changed the timings of the Friday prayers at Eldgah’s Mosque by half an hour and requested others to follow suit. Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe had extended the timings at the Asafi Imambara by 30 minutes.
Muslim leaders had taken the decision to maintain communal harmony during the festival and foster brotherhood between the communities. “We understand that the festival comes once in a year for our Hindu brothers. Thus, to ensure that our Hindu brothers can play Holi and we can also offer namaz, we have decided to change the timings. Many people I have spoken to so far, have agreed… as all of us want to ensure that the right message goes out to the community,” said Mahali.
