Mosques in Tamil Nadu offer first Friday prayer after months

Following state government's permission to open places of worship from September 1 as part of relaxations in restrictions imposed against COVID-19, mosques across Tamil Nadu offered first Friday prayers after months.

Following state government's permission to open places of worship from September 1 as part of relaxations in restrictions imposed against COVID-19, mosques across Tamil Nadu offered first Friday prayers after months. A Aboobucker Chairman, Haj Association of India, lauded the step taken by Chief Minister Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami.

"This is the first `jummah namaz' (Friday Prayer) for us after months. We did not get to celebrate Ramzan or Eid-al-Adha in mosques. I would like to thank the Chief Minister and state government on behalf of eight crores Tamils of all religions for the move," said Aboobucker. He said people have been given the task of sanitisation in mosques and COVID-19 norms are being followed during prayers.

Aboobucker also requested the state government to increase the pension of ulemas. "Due to COVID-19, the income of ulemas has suffered a lot. I would request the government to increase their pension," he added. (ANI)