Milad-un-Nabi celebrated with gaiety in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD - Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi, the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad, was celebrated Wednesday with gaiety and fervour in Hyderabad and other parts of Andhra Pradesh.

Public meetings, rallies, feeding of the poor, ‘mehfil-e-milad’ or special gatherings in praise of the Prophet were held to mark the occasion.

Religious scholars and community leaders exhorted Muslims to strictly follow ’seerat-e-tayyaba’ or the holy life of the Prophet for success in this world and the hereafter.

A huge procession was taken out from the historic Mecca Masjid in the old city. Holding green flags, hundreds of youth participated in the procession, which culminated in a public meeting at Moghalpura Ground.

A large number of people attended the annual ‘Jalsa-e-Rahmatullilalameen’ organised by Majlis-e-Tameer-e-Millat at the sprawling Exhibition Grounds at Nampally in the heart of the city Tuesday morning. The organisation has been holding the meeting for the last 60 years.

The speakers, including Majlis-e-Tameer-e Millat president Abdul Rahim Qureshi, called upon Muslims to express their true love for the Prophet by following his teachings.

The Muslim-majority old city echoed with religious slogans as groups of motorcycle-borne youths took out processions. The areas around the historic Charminar were decked up for the occasion with huge green flags.

Flags were seen on buildings, traffic signals, lamp posts and other high-rise structures across the old city. ‘Naat-e-shareef’ or poems in praise of the Prophet were played on loudspeakers.

Feeding of the poor was organised by individuals, traders’ associations and religious and social organisations at several places in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad to mark the occasion.

Muslims also celebrated the day with special dishes, including sweets, at their homes.

The festivities started Tuesday night as mosques and markets were illuminated. Some organisations in the markets around the Charminar built replicas of Islam’s holy places.

Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), the Muslim political party, Tuesday night organised a massive meeting at Darussalam — the party headquarters.

MIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said Muslims can succeed in this life and the hereafter only if they follow the path of Prophet Mohammad. He advised Muslims not to follow the culture of others while celebrating Milad.

The MP rejected the police claim linking the celebration of Milad last year to the communal riots. He pointed out that riots broke out a month after Milad.

He said if police tried to mount pressure through such allegations, Muslims would celebrate the day on a much larger scale and put up more flags.

Police made tight security arrangements in view of last year’s communal clashes. Three people were killed in the riots, which broke out after the flags put up during the Milad celebrations were removed by another group.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner A.K. Khan has asked Muslim organisations to remove their flags a day after the celebrations to avoid any untoward incident.