LUCKNOW: SUNNIS PRAY AT SHIA MOSQUE

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LUCKNOW: Setting a new tradition in Lucknow which has a long history of Shia-Sunni riots, a handful of Muslims belonging to the Sunni sect offered namaz at a Shia mosque here this Friday.

The proposal, considered as a move to end the decades long animosity between the two sects that had clashed several times, especially during the month of Moharrum over taking out of processions and their routes, had come from noted Shia cleric, Maulana Kalbe Sadiq, who is also the vice president of the Muslim Personal Law Board.

Sadiq had proposed to offer the Eid namaz led by the Naib Imam of Idgah on Eid which is still some months away but this Friday, Padamshri Haji Kalimullah of Malihabad led a delegation of about 20 to the historical Asifi mosque to offer namaz.

The namaziz were led by, Maulana Kalbe Jawwad, who welcomed the move by the Sunnis of Malihabad.

In reciprocation, Shias would offer namaz next Friday at a Sunni mosque in Malihabad, he said.

Terming the move as a new beginning, Jawwad said a message of unity would go from here and prove a dampener on the designs of some vested interests bent upon creating rift within the community.

A Sunni scholar who also offered prayers at the Asifi mosque said when both sects offer namaz together at Kabaa why can they not do the same here.