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Tuesday March 19, 2024

Prayers for unity on Jumatul Wida

By Asim Hussain
June 24, 2017

LAHORE Jumatul Wida, the last Friday of Ramazan, was observed with traditional religious fervour and solemnity. Millions of the faithful thronged the mosques and other open places to offer Friday prayers in congregations.

All large and small mosques across the provincial metropolis were especially decorated for the occasion and were crowded with believers to the capacity.

Many religious organisations also observed the day as Al-Quds Day to highlight the illegal occupation of Palestine by Israel for the last 69 years, taking out rallies and holding protests to draw media attention towards one of the oldest burning issues of the Muslim world.   

During the Friday prayers, people had to offer prayers in the open areas outside the mosques because of paucity of space inside. The managements of mosques had erected tents outside the main mosque buildings to create additional space for prayers. Despite that people offered prayers on roads at many places.

Imams and Khateeb, in their sermons called upon the Muslim Ummah to purify their souls in the holy month through greater dedication to prayers, seek forgiveness of Almighty Allah and be kind to fellow beings. They urged for Muslim unity and called for making joint struggle for emancipation of Muslim world from the subjugation of colonial powers and Baitul Muqaddas from the clutches of Israel.

They stressed on maintaining harmony and asked the people to beware of the miscreants and anti-state elements who wanted to create hatred among the followers of various schools of thought of the Muslims.

They called for greater unity among the Muslims to counter the present-day challenges. They made special prayers for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan, and unity of the Muslims world.

Prayers were also offered for independence of Kashmir, Palestine and other parts of the world where Muslims are struggling for their rights of self-determination. People also prayed for solidarity, safety and prosperity of the country and the Muslim Ummah besides seeking Allah's blessings for the solution of problems.

Shia Ulema Council (SUC) took out a rally from Lahore Press Club to the chowk behind Punjab Assembly after Friday prayers in connection with the Al-Quds Day which was observed by the organisation on the appeal of its patron Allama Sajid Ali Naqvi. The protesters led by SUC Punjab president Allama Sibtain Haider Sabzwari, Allama Zulfiqar Haider and others were raising slogans against the US and Israel, and holding banners and placards with the slogans calling for the end of Israel’s 69 years old illegal occupation of Palestinian lands. Large number of women and children were also among the participants and were raising slogans for the cause of Al-Quds.

The rally was specially participated by JI secretary general Liaqat Baloch, JUP leader Qari Zawwar Bahadur, Pir Usman Noori, Allama Afzal Haidri, Hafiz Kazim Raza, Shahbaz Haider Naqvi, Malik Shaukat Awan, Jaffar Ali Shah and others.

The leaders while speaking to the participants emphasised that Muslim organisations like Hamas, Akhwanul Muslimoon and Hizbullah were not terrorist but were striving for the rights of Muslims, ensuring their independence from the Zionists and for the re-establishment of independent state of Palestine in the areas it had before 1948 and with the Al-Aqsa mosque restored at its historic status.

They warned that Palestine was the issue of entire Ummah and if it was ignored than the Muslim world would continue to face enemy occupation of its holy places. They also stressed for the need of greater unity among Muslim schools of thought to foil the enemy conspiracies. They also warned that enemies wanted to divide Muslims in order to continue to subjugate the Muslim lands and people.

Another rally was taken out by Majlis Wahdatul Muslemin from Islampura to the Faisal Chowk outside Punjab Assembly which was led by MWM leader Agha Hassan Hamdani, ISO leader Ali Kazmi, while other prominent leaders included Jawad Naqvi, Haider Moosvi, Jawad Moosvi, Muhammad Ali Johari, Allama Hussain Najfi, and others.

The leaders addressing the rally at The Mall, held that US and Israel were behind all the troubles taking place in the Muslim countries. They warned that these sabotages were aimed at plundering the Muslim wealth to continue their subjugation through the agent rulers.

They demanded immediate liberation of Palestine, Kashmir, and other Muslim lands from the occupation of non-Muslim powers through the same formula applied on East Timor and South Sudan. They also warned against the recent realignments in the Arab world and said US and Israel were out to devastate the Muslim unity.