Kashmir Celebrates Prophet Birthday
“We have been organizing special seminars since last two decades as taking processions is not allowed now for the security reasons in the Kashmir province,” Moulvi Gh Mouhidin, head Imam of mosque in central Kashmir, said.
“The processions are banned in almost all the districts baring south Kashmir.”
Muslims in this disputed territory between the two countries India and Pakistan have been celebrating the day with great zeal.
Yet, the conflict has slashed down the enthusiasm, as people now prefer to organize in-house seminars and avoid taking processions.
Arranging seminars to mark the occasion, many Kashmiris yearn to the processions they used to hold in Prophet birthday that were banned due to security reasons.
“I remember, when I was reading in class ten and my parents used to prepare for the Mawlid processions a month before the day, and invite all friends and relatives besides locals of our village for taking part in procession meant to mark the birth day of prophet,” Gh Rasool, the imam in central Kashmir said.
In few villages of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district Mailad processions were taken and people were seen reciting Quran despite zero degree temperature and snowy roads.
“This time very less people took out the processions and majority of people prefer to participate in seminars and most of the mosques were seen closed after the Isha prayers,” Gh Rasool added.
Special lectures were delivered later in a grand mosque at each district and the people particularly belonging to poor classes.
“From the last five to six years the traditional way of taking processions to mark Mailad celebrations have been minimizing by year by year,” Mohd Yousf, a police constable said.
“Muslims across Kashmir region on the day organize special seminars to educate each other about the life of Prophet (pbuh),” Sayeed Mushtaq Ahmad of north Kashmir said.
Other Kashmiris distributed free Islamic books among the young Muslims to offer them better insights on the life history of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
He said it is due to the conflict that the tradition of taking procession has
Special prayers were also organized to mark the day attended by religious scholars who delivered lectures on the life of the Prophet (pbuh).
Religious scholars believe that the life style of the people have changed the traditional way of celebrating the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Source: On Islam
