Mirwaiz ‘denied permission’ to offer father-in-law’s funeral prayers at Srinagar’s Jama Masjid

Authorities deny Mirwaiz Umar Farooq leading funeral prayers, sparking criticism from political leaders in Kashmir.

The authorities on Thursday (February 27, 2025) denied permission to Hurriyat chairman and Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to lead the funeral prayers of his father-in-law at historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar.

“The authorities sealed the gates of Jama Masjid Srinagar and cordoned its surroundings and informed that the Namaz-e-Jinazah (funeral prayers) of Dr. Ghulam Sibtain Masoodi, father-in-law of Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir, will not be allowed,” a spokesman of the mosque said.

According to the family, the Mirwaiz’s father-in-law passed away on Wednesday (February 26, 2025) night and the funeral prayers were scheduled after ‘zuhr’ (noon) prayers on Thursday (February 27, 2025) at Jama Masjid in Nowhatta, Srinagar. “It’s condemnable to use and display force and power even in moments of grief and religious rituals,” the spokesman said.

The police’s decision forced the family to change the venue and offer the funeral prayers at Masjid Wazir Mohammed Khan Bagat Barzulla at 2 p.m. The J&K Police have not issued any statement on the reasons behind denying the funeral prayers.

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah extended his condolences to the bereaved family. “Sorry to hear about the demise of Dr. Sibtain Masoodi Sb, father-in-law of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. May Allah grant the highest place in Jannat to Dr Masoodi. My condolences to the Mirwaiz and his loved ones,” Mr. Abdullah said. The deceased is also the brother of National Conference (NC) leader and MLA Hasnain Masoodi.

The ruling National Conference described the decision to disallow the Namaz-e-Janazah as “deeply regrettable and wrong”. “Such actions are not only regressive but also demonstrate the hollowness of claims of normalcy in the region. It is precisely these kinds of steps that reveal the lack of trust the authorities have in their own assertions of peace and stability. The police in their short-sighted approach, fail to realise that restricting such basic rights only further erodes the trust and goodwill of the people,” a NC spokesman said.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has termed the authorities’ move to deny funeral prayers at Jama Masjid as “cruel”. “Unfathomable and cruel that authorities have barred the Namaz-e-Janaza of Mirwaiz sahab’s father-in-law Dr. Ghulam Sibtain Masoodi Sahab at Jama Masjid today. One assumed that after an elected Government there’d be some relief but instead, they are complicit by their silence which has emboldened GOIs (Government of India) iron fisted policy of repression,” PDP leader Iltija Mufti said.