Eid-ul-Milad celebrated with religious fervour

          Srinagar/Lucknow, May 15: Eid-Milad-ul-Nabi, the birthday of Prophet Mohammad, was celebrated all over India on Thursday with traditional festivity and religious fervour. The largest of the congregation took place at the Hazaratbal Mosque in the Muslim-dominated Srinagar. A public meeting was held in the city where community leaders gave sermons on the teachings and philosophies of the Prophet. The main attraction was the Prophet's 'Holy Hair' which is displayed once in a year for devotees. Strict security arrangements were made in the city for the occasion.

          In the old quarters of Lucknow, both Shias and Sunnis took out processions to mark the occasion. Nine groups of Shias and one group of Sunnis took part in the religious procession. Maulana Alim Farooqi, a religious leader, expressed happiness over the march organised jointly by the Shias and Sunnis. "We celebrate this day expressing our love for the Prophet. We believe whoever is in love with the Prophet will be loving towards other human beings too. Shias and Sunnis have gathered here to take part in this procession to express their love and regard. There are nine groups of Shias and one group of Sunnis here," said Farooqi. Authorities had banned Shia-Sunni processions in the state since 1979 following violence. But the ban was lifted by the then Chief Minister Kalyan Singh in 1999.

          Born in 570 AD, Mohammad is believed to be the last Prophet of Islam, one of the most widespread religions of the world. The Muslim era is said to have begun with his emigration from Mecca to Medina in 622 A.D., the year of the Hizra. He described himself as the messenger of God and is said to have received 'Koran, the holy text of the Islamic faith, from the Almighty at the age of 40. Several years later, he returned to Mecca, where the 'Kaaba' was established as the goal of pilgrimage for Islamic devotees. The Prophet is believed to have died in 632 AD.