Praying for a better Eid next year

SIALKOT: Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated in Sialkot district with simplicity, religious zeal and a renewed commitment to rebuild after the devastation caused by this years floods. Large Eid congregations were held on the occasion at hundreds of Eid Gahs, principal mosques and open plots in the district amid tight security.

In their Eid sermons held at Sialkot, Daska, Bhopalwala, Sambrial, Uggoki, Pasrur, Badiana, Chawinda, Pasrur, Shakargrah, Zafarwal, Baddo Malhi, Narowal and surrounding areas, the ulema and khateeb highlighted the significance and philosophy of Eid and urged people to follow the teachings of Islam that call for greater unity of the Muslim Ummah. “We are trying to spread a message of peace and philanthropy as much as we can,” said Bhopalwala cleric Syed Sulaiman, adding “our top priority right now is for people to unite and contribute to ease the suffering of their brothers and sisters.” Local clerics also urged the people to take in and care for those that had been rendered homeless by the floods. “There are so many people who cannot even be accommodated in the flood camps. They are spending their Eid without food under the open sky and we can share our food and our roof with them,” said Maulana Shahid Ghulam Roon from Narowal.

Special prayers were offered for the integrity, solidarity and prosperity of the country and unity among the Muslim Ummah. The clerics urged people to shun petty differences, stand united and seek Allah’s blessings for emancipation from all ills. Prayers were also offered for the liberation of occupied Muslim territories including Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine as well as for peace in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Special security arrangements were made to thwart any untoward incident as security officials were deployed outside all local mosques, Eid Gahs and open places where the faithful offered Eid prayers. In Sialkot, the traditional Eid congregations were held where thousands of the people thronged mosques, Eid Gahs and Imambarghas to offer Eid prayers at over 500 worship places in the district.

Special arrangements were also made for Eid prayers within premises of Sialkot district jail. Jail superintendent police (SP) Rana Ashfaq said that the inmates and police officers offered prayers together on the first day of Eid.  Special prayers were offered for security, solidarity and development of the country as well as the elimination of terrorism. The people paid rich tribute to martyrs in various terrorist blasts over the past year. Large police contingents guarded all major prayer sites for all three days of Eid as worshippers continued to make their way in and out of the mosques.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th, 2010.