Sunday as holiday

By S N Mamoon Dhaka
25 May 2005, 18:00 PM
I fully endorse the views aired by Syed Farhat Roomy and Essam Sohail regarding declaring Sunday as weekly holiday. Essam Sohail described the historic perspective of the Friday prayers. I would like to underscore a few more points. Friday as a weekly holiday is a recent phenomenon. On the practical side we find that a prayer of 15 minutes consumes the whole day. It no longer remains a holiday in 'holiday' sense. Moreover, Friday is like a free-field day for the 'Mullahs' and related political elements.

It seems Friday belongs to them only. They would indulge in many kinds of quasi-religious activities, political sermons etc., arrange rallies, meeting after the prayers. It only promotes rise in religious extremism in the country.

"Jumma' prayer as used to be performed in not so by gone days was more rational. People would go to the mosque, say prayers and go back to duties or home. Half to one-hour break is all, which is necessary. Sunday would have been a real holiday- to spend with family, friends, to go out etc. So, we would suggest that we ought to plan our holiday in a manner which is logical, rational, friendly and economically more viable. Sunday is the best choice from pragmatic point of views. We need to go with the majority world.