Muslims in Lucknow offer ‘Alvida Namaz’ before Eid

Lucknow, Sep 18(ANI): Muslims gathered in huge numbers at several mosques of Lucknow on Friday to offer the ‘Alvida Namaz’ marking the last Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan.

“We prayed to the Lord to raise the financial status of Muslims and also eradicate all their problems. In India, Hindu and Muslims have been living together for several centuries and we want them to be like this in future,” said Moulvi Faizul Rehman, an Islamic cleric at a mosque in Lucknow.

Highlighting the significance of the ‘Alvida Namaz’, Mohammad Sayeed, a Namazi said that it is the reason why thousands of Muslim from across the city gather to offer prayers.

“During Ramadan if we participate in the ‘Alvida Namaz’ and offer our prayers, then we get a reward for it and it will usher prosperity to us,” Sayeed said.

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Hijri lunar calendar, commemorates the revelation of Quran, Islam’s holy book, and has traditionally been a time of religious fervour, settling old disputes and behaving charitably towards neighbours.

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. Considered auspicious for prayers, Muslims observe the month-long fasting named ‘Roza’.

They believe this secures them a place in heaven and also brings them face to face with Allah, the Almighty, on the day of ‘Kayamat’.

The end of Ramadan heralds the festival of Eid-ul-fitr. (ANI)

Hindus, Muslims pray for rains in Patna

Patna, June 27 (ANI): Following a delayed monsoon, people in Bihar have turned anxious and want the God to bless them with rains.

On Saturday, various Hindus and Muslims held special prayers to invoke divine powers of the Rain Gods who, they believe, have decided to give the region a miss.

Residents said while incessant rains are lashing western parts of the country disrupting normal life, it played truant here.

Many Hindus participated in a Yajna, or the holy fire ritual whereas members of the Muslim community offered Namaz for rains.

Priests chanted shloka and hymns that reverberated in the entire vicinity during the Yajna ceremony.

“We are pleasing the rain God by offering this prayer. We are praying here in a hope that the rain God accepts our wish and grants us with rain. This rain will bring smile on the faces of the farmers and would help bringing back greenery in the state,” said Prakash Malakar, a Hindu priest.

Members of the Muslim community, took part in prayer session and said they had full faith that the Gods would be pleased and rains would soon touch not only Bihar but other parched lands as well.

“The intense heat and lack of rain is not only causing serious problems to the people of Bihar but to other states as well. We wish that Allah blesses not only Bihar with rains but also the other drought hit regions,” said Mohammad Kalimuddin, a Muslim priest.

The delay in the arrival of monsoon is becoming a cause of concern for the masses especially farmers, as nearly two-thirds of agriculture depend on the rains and two-thirds of the population is dependent on agriculture.

The Meteorological Department has said that the total rainfall from the crucial June-September monsoon would be 93 percent of the long-term average, coming in below normal for the first time in four years. (ANI)

Muslim sage recites Hindu scriptures in Uttar Pradesh

Pipraich (Uttar Pradesh), Apr 29 (ANI): A Muslim sage in Uttar Pradesh has been reciting holy Hindu scriptures at religious functions.

Yasin Bharti, the Muslim sage, resides in the Khoonipur block of Pipraich area.

Yasin not only has complete knowledge about the Quran, but has equal knowledge about Ramayan and Hindu scriptures.

He initially gave stage performances. Gradually, Yasin was attracted towards the Hindu religion and became a reciter of ‘Satsang’.

Bharti said that his main aim is to remove the dirt from the society through his ‘Satsang’.

“If people improve through this medium of ‘Satsang’ then my efforts will be successful. My main motive is to improve the society. A sage is neither a Hindu nor a Muslim. God has granted them a responsibility of clearing and removing the dirt from the society and violence from the human beings through the medium of ‘Satsang’,” said Bharti.

When Bharti recites, people listen to him with concentration.

“Bharti recites Ramayan very efficiently. Here, none of the Muslims have any problems when Bharti recites religious lectures on Hindu scriptures and none of the Hindus have any problem when he does his Namaz,” said Manoj Kumar, a resident.

Besides his frequent ‘Satsang’ programs, Bharti never forgets to offer Namaz.

Bharti is a living example of communal harmony among Hindus and Muslims in the society. According to him, Ram and Rahim are equal. By Pawan Kumar Shah (ANI)

Musharraf offers prayers at Nizamuddin Dargah

New Delhi, Mar 9 (ANI): Pakistan’s former President Pervez Musharraf offered prayers at Nizamuddin Dargah here on Sunday, amidst heavy security.

Earlier, Musharraf offered prayers at the Jama Masjid.

Hundreds of people gathered at the 17th century mosque to catch a glimpse of the former general of Pakistan, who offered the ‘Maghrib’ namaz (Muslim prayers offered from sunset, up to a maximum of one-and-quarter hours).

“Musharraf offered prayers for peace and harmony in the world,” said Nawabuddin Naqshbandi, a member of Jama Masjid’s managing council.

Musharraf, who paid second visit to the Jama Masjid after an official one in April 2005, waved at the people who went berserk and almost created a stampede-like situation.

Musharraf was born in Neharwali Haveli, a kilometre away from the Jama Masjid and after partition in 1947 his family migrated to Pakistan. (ANI)

Funeral of 33 Bangladesh Army officers postponed (Update- Bangladesh Army officers funeral)

Dhaka, Feb 28 (ANI): The funeral or the Namaz-e-janaza of the 33 Bangladesh army officers, whose bodies were found during a rescue operation at the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) headquarters, was postponed today.

The funeral was scheduled to take place at the Army Stadium in Banani at 3:00 p.m.

The funeral of Major General Shakil Ahmed, the head of the BDR, was also scheduled to be held today. Major General Shakil Ahmed’s corpse was pitted with bullet holes and marks of a bayonet charge. It had at least seven bullet wounds.

Last evening, the funeral of seven army officers’ was held at the Dhaka Cantonment Central mosque.

Meanwhile, ten more bodies, including the one of Naznin Shakil Shipu, the wife of slain BDR chief Major General Shakil Ahmed, were found from three mass graves were opened.

Two of the deceased were identified as Major Mosharraf and Major Mokbul. Others’identity could not be known immediately.

Earlier in the day, two more bodies were recovered from the headquarters area. (ANI)

Funeral of 33 Bangladesh Army officers postponed (Update- Bangladesh Army officers funeral)

Dhaka, Feb 28 (ANI): The funeral or the Namaz-e-janaza of the 33 Bangladesh army officers, whose bodies were found during a rescue operation at the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) headquarters, was postponed today.

The funeral was scheduled to take place at the Army Stadium in Banani at 3:00 p.m.

The funeral of Major General Shakil Ahmed, the head of the BDR, was also scheduled to be held today. Major General Shakil Ahmed’s corpse was pitted with bullet holes and marks of a bayonet charge. It had at least seven bullet wounds.

Last evening, the funeral of seven army officers’ was held at the Dhaka Cantonment Central mosque.

Meanwhile, ten more bodies, including the one of Naznin Shakil Shipu, the wife of slain BDR chief Major General Shakil Ahmed, were found from three mass graves were opened.

Two of the deceased were identified as Major Mosharraf and Major Mokbul. Others’identity could not be known immediately.

Earlier in the day, two more bodies were recovered from the headquarters area. (ANI)

Funeral of 33 Bangladesh Army officers postponed (Update- Bangladesh Army officers funeral)

Dhaka, Feb 28 (ANI): The funeral or the Namaz-e-janaza of the 33 Bangladesh army officers, whose bodies were found during a rescue operation at the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) headquarters, was postponed today.

The funeral was scheduled to take place at the Army Stadium in Banani at 3:00 p.m.

The funeral of Major General Shakil Ahmed, the head of the BDR, was also scheduled to be held today. Major General Shakil Ahmed’s corpse was pitted with bullet holes and marks of a bayonet charge. It had at least seven bullet wounds.

Last evening, the funeral of seven army officers’ was held at the Dhaka Cantonment Central mosque.

Meanwhile, ten more bodies, including the one of Naznin Shakil Shipu, the wife of slain BDR chief Major General Shakil Ahmed, were found from three mass graves were opened.

Two of the deceased were identified as Major Mosharraf and Major Mokbul. Others’identity could not be known immediately.

Earlier in the day, two more bodies were recovered from the headquarters area. (ANI)

Funeral of 33 Bangladesh Army officers postponed (Update- Bangladesh Army officers funeral)

Dhaka, Feb 28 (ANI): The funeral or the Namaz-e-janaza of the 33 Bangladesh army officers, whose bodies were found during a rescue operation at the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) headquarters, was postponed today.

The funeral was scheduled to take place at the Army Stadium in Banani at 3:00 p.m.

The funeral of Major General Shakil Ahmed, the head of the BDR, was also scheduled to be held today. Major General Shakil Ahmed’s corpse was pitted with bullet holes and marks of a bayonet charge. It had at least seven bullet wounds.

Last evening, the funeral of seven army officers’ was held at the Dhaka Cantonment Central mosque.

Meanwhile, ten more bodies, including the one of Naznin Shakil Shipu, the wife of slain BDR chief Major General Shakil Ahmed, were found from three mass graves were opened.

Two of the deceased were identified as Major Mosharraf and Major Mokbul. Others’identity could not be known immediately.

Earlier in the day, two more bodies were recovered from the headquarters area. (ANI)

Funeral of 33 Bangladesh Army officers today

Dhaka, Feb 28 (ANI): The funeral or the Namaz-e-janaza of the 33 Bangladesh army officers, whose bodies were found during a rescue operation at the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) headquarters, will take place at the Army Stadium in Banani at 3:00 p.m today.

The funeral of Major General Shakil Ahmed, the head of the BDR, will also be held today. Major General Shakil Ahmed’s corpse was pitted with bullet holes and marks of a bayonet charge. It had at least seven bullet wounds.

Last evening, the funeral of seven army officers’ was held at the Dhaka Cantonment Central mosque.

Earlier in the day, ten more bodies, including the one of Naznin Shakil Shipu, the wife of slain BDR chief Major General Shakil Ahmed, were found after two more mass graves were opened.

On Friday, thirty-eight more bodies were found at the headquarters, a Daily Star report said.(ANI)