Shia community now building spacious prayer halls

Idea is to ensure ample space within building to hold religious gatherings

Hyderabad: Keeping in view the difficulties faced while organising religious gatherings during Muharram, several apartments in the Shia dominated neighbourhoods of the old city are now including a hall for prayer meetings. Big spacious halls generally on the ground floor are specially earmarked for the prayer meeting (Majalis) where anywhere between 200 to 300 persons could be accommodated.

“The idea is to ensure there is ample space within the building to hold religious gatherings. Otherwise the crowd spills onto the road causing problems to others,” explained Syed Mujtaba Hussain Abedi, a resident of Balsetty Khet in Darulshifa. Syed Hamed Hussain Jaffery of Telangana Shia Youth Conference said the houses previously were big enough to accommodate large religious gatherings organised by any family. “Now the size is reduced and nuclear families are moving into the flats where only a few people can gather. So understanding the needs of the community, the builders are earmarking separate halls in the apartment buildings,” he said.

As a practice, the hall in the building is called the Aashoorkhana (place where Alam is installed and mourning sessions are organised) and standards are installed by the building occupants. A decade ago, Darulshifa, Noor Khan Bazaar, Mandi Mir Alam, Zehra Nagar, Dabeerpura and surroundings had duplex houses.

“The scenario is changing now. Construction companies are coming forward and after making agreement with property owners, are constructing multi-storey apartment buildings. The total flats are divided on percentage basis, in many cases shared equally between builder and land owner,” said Nadir Ali, another local resident. He added that the local community feels the facility of prayer hall is an advantage.

The mourning period for the Shia community begins from the 1st day of the Islamic month of Muharram and continues for next two months and eight days i.e., 8th day of the Islamic month of Rabi-ul Aawal.

 

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