Pakistan uniform prayer timings in Islamabad from 1st May

Pakistan uniform prayer timings in Islamabad

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Saradar Yousaf has announced that all religious sects in the federal capital will pray at the same time from May 1, 2015.

The formal decision to adopt unified prayer timings was made on Wednesday, at a high level meeting chaired by Sardar Yousuf.

Over the course of the past few months, the Ministry of Religious Affairs had been working on introducing uniform prayer timings in the federal capital.

The implementation of the uniform prayer timings was set to be announced by Imam-e-Kaaba Sheikh Khalid al Ghamdi who arrived in Pakistan on April 23, upon special invitation of the government.

Read More: Imam-e-Kaaba to lead Friday Prayer at Faisal Mosque Islamabad

The implementation is set to take take place from Friday prayers on May 1 in Faisal Mosque, which will also be attended by President Mamnoon Hussain.

“There were some meetings yet to take place but the decision of introducing the system earlier has been taken keeping in view Imam-e-Kaaba’s visit to Pakistan,” a senior ministry official said.

The committee which made the decision included two clerics from each of the four major sects in the capital- Shia, Barelvi, Deobandi and Ahle Hadith.

The major difference in the prayer timings was at Maghrib and the issue was resolved amicably between the committee members.

In Wednesday’s announcement, the religious affairs minister said that the committee had come together to make the final decision and from Friday onward, Azaan and prayer times would be held at the same time across the capital.

Commenting on the security of Saudi Arabia, he said that no one has the strength to harm the holy sites whereas Pakistan has adopted a categorical stance on the protection of Saudi Arabia.

The minister announced that all mosques in Islamabad will call out the Azaan simultaneously, with the same time for Jumma prayers.

Now all sects also agreed to call our the Azaan at the same time.