Lucknow: Offering prayer from home akin to Eid namaz? Clerics divided

LUCKNOW: Can

prayers

offered at home be termed as ‘

Eid namaz

’? This is the question which is being debated by two branches of the oldest seminary in Lucknow – Darul Uloom Farangi Mahal – based on two

different fatwas

.


While both the sides are of the view that all Muslims should follow lockdown protocols and stay at home on Eid, the question being asked is whether namaz offered from home on the day can be termed as Eid namaz or not? As per the fatwa of one group, led by Maulana Abul Irfan Farangi Mahali, Eid namaz cannot be offered at home but at an Eidgah or Jama Masjid.

“Given the current circumstances, people should stay indoors and offer ‘

Shukraane

’ (thanksgiving) namaz instead of Eid namaz. The khutba (special prayer) cannot be recited at home. Thanksgiving should be done between 6.30am and 11.30 am,” Maulana Abul Irfan said. “There are several references from

Islamic history

which say that an Eid namaz can only be offered at an Eidgah or Jama Masjid,” he added. Fatwa by the other group, led by his nephew Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, calls for offering of Eid prayers at home if four or more persons are present.

“These are extraordinary circumstances. If four or more men are at home, one can lead the prayers and others, including women, can follow. If this is not possible, ‘shukraana namaz’ can be offered,” Maulana Khalid Rasheed said.

Asked how Khutba could be performed at home, he said: “If one remembers ‘khutba’, it can be recited, or read from a book. We will also upload short on the Islamic Centre of India website .”