Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA) Urs continues

LAHORE: Various ceremonies of Mehfil-e-Samaa, seminar on Tasawwuf, and special prayers were held on Friday, the second day of the 979th annual Urs of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh with traditional religious devotion and zeal.

A huge rush was seen on the traditional milk Sabeel drawing thousands of people and passersby to drink milk, besides distribution of traditional Langar (free food) among the poor. More than 3,000 police personnel are deployed for security on the occasion, three-tier checking of participants is being carried out, while traffic has been diverted to alternative routes.

Secretary Auqaf Punjab Mian Abrar Ahmed, DG Auqaf Punjab Dr Tahir Raza Bukhari inaugurated the Mehfil-e-Samaa at Samaa Hall. In their welcome addresses, they highlighted the importance of Samaa and its historical background besides the importance of Sufis in the context of their services in promotion and propagation of Islam in the subcontinent. They said that credit for the promotion of Islam in the sub-continent belongs only to those Sufis who influenced the people of other nations and religions with their good moral values and Islam’s divine message of justice and equality. They said without adopting the Sufis’ style of social behaviour, the formation of a welfare society was not possible.

Other officials, including Administrator Data Darbar Shahid Hameed Virk, Auqaf Managers Sheikh Muhammad Jameel, Tahir Maqsood, Sheikh Muhammad Amin from Syed Hajwir Foundation, Tariq Mahmood Javed, Qari Sadaqat Ali, Diwan Usman Farid Chishti, Mehfil-e-Samaa Committee President Malik Muhammad Abid, General Secretary Professor Ismatullah Zahid, Mirza Abdul Jabbar, Malik Muazzam etc. were also present.

At the end of day’s ceremonies, Khatib Data Darbar Mufti Muhammad Ramzan Sialvi led special prayers for country’s unity, solidarity, end to terrorism and sectarianism, relief to the flood victims and success to the oppressed Muslims in Kashmir, Palestine and other occupied Muslim territories.