Do not visit graveyards or collect at any place this Shab-e-Barat: Islamic Centre of India advisory

LUCKNOW: The Islamic Centre of India led by Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali has asked the Muslim community to stay indoors on the upcoming Shab-e-Barat which falls on April 9 this year. The Sunni cleric who is Imam of the biggest Eidgah in Lucknow has strictly advised people to not visit graveyards on that night as is generally done by people and the scheduled Jalsa at Eidgah Lucknow on Shab-e-Barat has also been cancelled owing to the lockdown.
Eve of Shab-e-Barat that falls on the fourteenth day of the Islamic month of Shabaan is a night of forgiveness wherein devotees seek Allah's forgiveness for their sins.
On the night, a number of Muslims visit graves of their family members and recite prayers and read the Quran for forgiveness of their sins.
In a nine point advisory the cleric has also asked people to not burst firecrackers or gather together at any place which is observed to be done by young people every year.
"The night is a very important night for atonement and while it is extremely fruitful to offer prayers and read the Quran and recite duas, it should be done at home. At no cost should anyone visit the graveyards and go out in the lockdown. There should be no gathering of people or bursting of fire crackers," said Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali.
"The world is fighting the covid-19 pandemic and we should pray that this health crisis is over soon and all persons are safe and healthy in the world. The roza to be kept next day should be opened by this prayer," he added.
The cleric also condemned the incident of Indore and Ghaziabad where medical teams were attacked by people. "There should be punitive action against persons involved in both incidents. Doctors, paramedical staff, police, sanitation workers are all putting their lives at risks and coming out in lockdown to save all of us from the covid-19 infection. We should give total cooperation to our healthcare workers as Quran says that saving even one life is equal to saving the whole of humankind," he said.