Lucknow, Aug 24 (IANS): Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad has announced that beginning this week, Friday prayers will be offered at Asafi Imambara from August 27.

Last year, on March 19, 2020, Jawad had announced the suspension of Friday prayers at the mosque following the pandemic.

Prayers had resumed just before the second Covid wave hit again and the last of the prayers were held on April 9.

Maulana Kalbe Jawad, who is Imam-e-Juma of the prayers, said that since curfew restrictions had been lifted and Covid cases were on the decline, prayers were being resumed.

He said that the Husainabad and Allied Trust officials, who oversee management of Asafi Imambara, have been asked to provide for masks and conduct sanitisation of the mosque.

As of now, the government permits a group of not more than 50 at a place at one time.

Jawad had earlier said that a distance of 6 feet between namazis cannot make for a prayer by jamaat (congregation)-a vital aspect of Friday prayers.