Dhaka: Imams of mosques across the country on Friday delivered Khutba (sermon) before and after Jumma prayers highlighting the directives of the Holy Quran and Hadith against militancy and terrorism.

‘The Khutba cautioning the countrymen against unrest, militancy and terrorism was delivered almost at all the mosques across the country, including the capital, during Jumma prayers,’ Director General of Islamic Foundation Shamim Mohammad Afzal told BSS.

He said Islamic foundation earlier sent the copy of Khutba to all mosques across the country.

The imams, during the Khutba in the Jumma prayers, urged parents and guardians to keep a watchful eye on their childrens movement as well as the movement of strangers in their locality, according to reports reached here from different parts of the country.

Earlier, the authorities concerned got prepared to monitor waz (religious speech) and ‘Khutba’ (sermon) before and after Jumma prayers which started today.

The Cabinet Committee on Law and Order at a meeting on Sunday decided to monitor Khutbas and speeches during Jumma prayers throughout the country.

The decision was taken to check the activities that could pamper militancy.

As part of this initiative, the Islamic Foundation Bangladesh, with the help of Islamic scholars, prepared a special speech (sermon) for the Jumma prayers that was followed by all imams during the Khutba today.

‘In the Khutba, the imam of Baitul Mukarram mosque mentioned the verses of Surah Al Anbiya where it was said there was no doubt that the holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) was sent by Almighty Allah to free mankind from disaster, uproar, terrorism and murders,’ said Alhajj Julhas Mia, a devotee who offered his Jumma prayers at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque today.

Senior Pesh Imam Maulana Mohiuddin Kashem during delivering Khutba at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque quoted Verse-33 of Surah Bani Israil and said: ‘And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right.’

Quoting Surah Al Maidah (Verse-32), he said: ‘He who killed any person, unless it be a person guilty of manslaughter, or of spreading chaos in the land, should be looked upon as though he had slain all mankind, and he who saved one life should be regarded as though he had saved the lives of all mankind.’

According to the sources at Islamic Foundation, Jumma prayers were offered at about 2.50 lakh mosques across the country.

‘We urged the imams to deliver lectures in line with the Islamic ideology that denounces terrorism and extremism,’ Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, also president of the Cabinet Committee on Law and Order, earlier told BSS.

‘We are monitoring waz and Khutbas at the mosques right now. The authorities would involve general people, social and political workers and the staff of Islamic Foundation,’ the minister added.

The government has already opened a monitoring cell to receive complaints and take necessary actions to check the activities that are considered provocative as it was reported that some of controversial speeches inspired militants to be involved in unleashing terrors.