Fasting, prayers, online sermons on Ashura day

NAGPUR: The Muslim community would be observing prayers, fasting and watching sermons online to commemorate the battle of Karbala, which is commonly known as Ashura Day, on Sunday. Community members said this is the first time in their life that they won’t see any processions, social gathering or activities related to Muharram conducted by different sects.
The Dawoodi Bohra community observed its Ashura day on Friday as per the Hijri calendar.Shabab and Jamaat member Sheikh Malik Ul Ashter Fidvi said sermons were relayed online. “Members watched the sermon by Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA,Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA and present Dai Al Mutlaq Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS online while majlis, prayers and fasting, too, were done at homes,” he said.
Jamia Arabia secretary Maulana Mohammad Abdul Aziz Khan said all events are online now. “The community is already following norms and offering daily and Friday prayers at home. During both Eids, no celebration was held. We have appealed to people to pay homage to Karbala martyrs on Ashura day at home only. People would be fasting and offering prayers, too, at home,” he said.
Khan added that sermons would be live on Facebook and YouTube.
Mominpura United Students Association’s Javed Ansari said that generally the shia sect takes out a procession but due to Covid, it hasn’t been given permission by the administration. “Sunni Muslims observe fasting between the 9th and the 11th day of the Islamic month of Muharram. The community has been following lockdown norms,” he said.
Nagpur district collector Ravindra Thakare directed the Muslim community to observe Muharram activities in a simple and restricted manner, mostly indoors.
The 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram is observed as ‘Ashura’, commemorating the battle of Karbala. It falls on August 30 as per the local religious bodies.
Citing the epidemic and disaster management acts, Thakare prohibited any procession, waaz, tajia, majlees, alam besides limited gatherings exceeding not more than four persons. The collector has appealed to the community to hold blood donation, plasma donation and health camps on Sunday.