By: Fahad Zuberi [Fahad Zuberi is a PhD Student in History, Theory and Criticism of Art and Architecture, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He writes about architecture and cities through the lens of politics, culture and history.] Published in: *The Wire* Date: June 13, 2026 Source: https://thewire.in/communalism/why-the-state-fears-muslim-prayer-in-public *Note: *Please access the source to read the article
"Muslims praying publicly sends one message. It says: Muslims are here, they belong here, and they have the same claim to the city as anyone else. The Indian state seems very keen to ensure that these claims are not asserted, and they do not manifest into civic confidence for Muslims. Suppressing congregational prayer and public expressions of religiosity is integral to this denial. Praying on the street on Eid with equal rights just like members of a Ganesh Chaturthi celebration do, will cement Muslim citizenship without shedding an explicitly Muslim religiosity. For King, public prayer was an important part of the movement’s life as it strengthened and unified participants. Gandhi also used public prayer as part of his political practice. His daily prayer meetings were public gatherings, and prayer services were an integral part of the Indian independence struggle. They functioned as visible acts of nonviolent resistance and witness. In both the cases, the American state and the British attempted to criminalise and violently suppress public prayer."
