Mecca Masjid to open for devotees on Sep 5

The authorities will be allowing devotees to attend prayers at the historic Mecca Masjid from Saturday. For the first fortnight, only 50 people will be allowed and later 100 persons will be permitted inside the mosque.

A decision was taken at a high level meeting chaired by Home Minister Mohd Mahmood Ali on Wednesday evening. AK Khan, Advisor to Government on Minority Affairs, Mohd Qasim Chief Executive Officer Telangana State Wakf Board and AIMIM MLAs Ahmed Pasha Quadri and Mumtaz Ahmed Khan were present in the meeting.

The Mecca Masjid has been closed to the public for nearly six months and only the caretakers and managing staff have been attending the prayers. In fact the mosque did not allow the general public for the Eid-ul-Fitr (Ramzan) and Eid ul Adha (Bakrid) prayers also.

Mohd Qasim, CEO, Telangana State Wakf Board, said the exercise of marking out spaces for ensuring social distancing and following all



necessary Covid-19 guidelines was being taken up. The mosque premises were being sanitised.

“In the next two days, we will do marking so as to help the namazis know where they have to take their place for prayers. Beginning Saturday the pious will be allowed five times a day with a ceiling of only 50 persons. From 21 September we will be allowing 100 persons for prayers including on Fridays,” Qasim said.

Children aged below 10 years and the senior citizens above 60 years will not be allowed inside the mosque, he added. The namazis have to bring their own prayer rugs/mats and do ablution at their houses only.

However the 400 year old historic mosque will not be opened for tourists anytime soon.

“As of now no decision is taken on allowing tourists inside the mosque. The gates will be opened during the prayer timing and later closed,” said the official.