Ahlul Bayt News Agency ; MALE -- The Eid ul-Fitr prayer congregation was the largest ever prayer congregation in Maldives, Islamic Ministry said Sunday.
Assistant Director Ahmedullah Jameel said more than 17,000 people, 2,500 of which were women, attended the congregation held at Islamic Centre Friday morning.
"We are sure that there were more than 17,000 people. Some say that there were more than 19,000 people," he said.
Jameel noted that the upper floor dedicated to women with a capacity of 1,700 was also full. Some of them also prayed in Jumhoory Maidhaan, he added.
"The mosque alone has a capacity of 8,000 people," Jameel said.
Although the ministry had prepared for a large congregation, some people had to pray on the streets without mats.
State Minister for Islamic Affairs Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed lead the prayer. In his sermon, Shaheem urged Muslims not to commit any extremist actions in response to Florida church’s plan to burn Quran.
“The most advisable is to safeguard our religion without being trapped in such deceptive plans,” he said.
President Mohamed Nasheed and senior government officials attended the Eid prayer.
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