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Thursday March 28, 2024

City abuzz with Eid Miladun Nabi festivities

By Asim Hussain
November 23, 2018

LAHORE: Like other parts of the country, Eid Miladun Nabi was celebrated in the provincial capital to commemorate the birth of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) with traditional religious zeal and fervour amidst tight security arrangements.

The believers held a large number of festivities and celebrations paying homage to the last messenger (PBUH) of The Almighty who brought the last divine religion – Islam and last divine book, the Quran - to the mankind.

The day began with 21-gun salutes in the provincial capital while special prayers were offered for the security, solidarity and prosperity of the country as well as welfare of the Mulsim Ummah. All business centres and offices remained closed as it was a public holiday.

The central Miladun Nabi procession in the City was taken out in the afternoon under the aegis of Markazi Milad Committee from Lahore Railway Station which passed through its traditional route including Australia Chowk, Branderth Road, Railway Road, Chowk Dalgran, Gwlmandi, Mayo Hospital, Anarkali, Lohari Gate, Bhaati Gate and Culminated at Data Darbar.

Prior to the procession a grand meeting was held which was addressed by prominent figures from all walks of life. The meeting was chaired by Senator Waleed Iqbal and the committee president, Malik Aftab Rabbani. Pir Khalid Sultan presided over the proceedings of the meeting. The leaders hoisted national flag on the occasion.

Adviser to Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Ghulam Muhiuddin Diwan, Khaksar Tehrik President Dr Sabiha Mashriqi, noted actor Mustafa Qureshi former judges of Lahore High Court and elite of the town were also present. Sardar Bishen Singh and Bhagat Lal from minorities also participated in it.

The participants of the ceremony were sprinkled with rose water and flower petals by an aero plane. Sabeels of water and juices were set up along route of the procession. Naat Khwans recited Naats while volunteers set free thousands of pigeons and balloons in the air which presented a delightful sight.

Many other processions were taken out in different parts of the City. A rally was taken out by Tehrik Bedari Ummat from Jamia Urwatul Wusqa led by its chief Jawwad Naqvi and it marched up to Chungi Amar Sadhu. Newspapers brought out special editions while electronic media aired special programmes to highlight the importance of the occasion.

Mosques and all important government and private buildings were tastefully decorated with illuminations. Groups of volunteers and market committees decorated their markets/Mohallas/houses and surroundings with illuminations, coloured flower ropes, buntings, chandeliers and ribbons. Many organisations also held competitions among people for best decorated Mohallah and street. Thousands of police, special forces and Rangers personnel were deployed in the sensitive areas. The government suspended the cell phone services in certain sensitive areas to ward off any terror activity.

Children and youth erected the clay replica of desert and mountains of the Arab peninsula where the divine message was first dawned on the Prophet (PBUH). However, several Ulema and concerned citizens objected to the playing of loud music and dancing to Indian tunes at the replicas of Arab hill at countless places in the City.

A number of citizen told journalists that sanctity of the occasion was violated with the loud Indian music and dances by the people which created scenes at various places but no untoward incident was reported. They appealed to the government to check this ugly practice in order to avoid law and order situation in future and ensure sanctity of the occasion which demanded completely solemn and religious attitude towards the festivities.

They warned that all those un-Islamic practices were held despite the pledge by various leaders that all practices that hurt Islamic principles and religious feelings of other schools of thought would be banned in the Eid Milad celebrations.

They complained that uncouth youth teased women and girls passing by or seeing the clay models and decorations in various areas. Policemen remained helpless to stop such culprits despite complaints.

A number of Seerat conferences and gatherings for Qirat, Naat Khwani, Naatia Mushaaira and Qawwali were held.. Religious scholars in their special sermons highlighted the significance of the occasion and asked the people to follow the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to achieve success in the life and the life after death.

Like the previous year, the Eid-e-Miladun Nabi was observed this year too as Namoos-e-Risalat Day, (Prophet’s honour Day) in response to the western conspiracies committing organised blasphemies by repeated publication of profane sketches specially by the European media and the production of blasphemous movies, besides the conspiracies by certain lobbies in the country to amend blasphemy laws.

All the celebrations on the day reflected a renewed enthusiasm towards protecting the honour of the Prophet (PBUH) and zeal to follow the Sunnah and becoming better Muslims. The speakers and prayer leaders emphasised the need to follow the Sunnah in latter and spirit to counter the conspiracies.

Meanwhile, a two day international Seerat Conference was held at Badshahi Masjid in connection with the Eid Miladun Nabi. It was chaired by Chief Khateeb Dr Abdul Khabeer Azad. Noted noted religious scholars addressed the conference and stressed the need for promoting the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) for eradicating the myriad of social evils prevailing in society and to solve the problems faced by the humanity.