By Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: The 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal, commonly believed as the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was observed with traditional enthusiasm by the Muslims in Mumbai and to mark the day a huge procession, a regular feature of the event, was taken out here on Wednesday.
The procession started from historical Khilafat House, situated in south Mumbai. The house has a historical background. Mohammed Ali Jauhar, a prominent leader of Khilafat Movement, started this procession in 1920s to accelerate the Movement and Mahatma Gandhi participated in its inaugural session to oppose the abolition of Islamic Caliphate.
Procession of Eid-e-Milad in Mumbai led by Maulana Mansoor Ali, Madhu Chavan, MLA congress, Amin patel, MLA Cong, Subodh Kant Sahay, MoS Food processing Industry, India, Narendra Verma, NCP chief Mumbai
At Wednesday’s procession featured replicas of Masjid-e-Nabwi in Madina, Ajmer Sharif dargah and other shrines in India with people loaded in trucks, jeeps, and bikers with special dress Kurta Pajama, Turbans and Flags shouting slogan of Allah-u-Akbar. Such processions were taken out in several parts of the city.
Ajmal Ahmed, 46, is not much happy with changes in the look of the Milad-un-Nabi processions with passage of time. “Initially it was the slogans like Naara’e’ Takbeer Allah-u-Akbar, Naara’e’Risalat, Ya Rasoolullah which now have been changed with the MP3 qawwalis on big decks, lights and dance which is not a good sign,” said Ahmed while talking to TCN. He further opined that technology must bring out positive change and should not kill the basic aim of the processions.
Don’t mix religion with politics, its explosive, is the common phrase used by secular, communal and all the political parties in India and worldwide but the same politicians never miss any chance to do so whether it is the procession of Eid-e-Milad or Ganpati.
Sagheer Sheikh, 32, an electronics engineer is very angry with the inclusion of politicians in the purely religious programme. He said, “Why don’t politicians just leave us alone. They are unable to do any good to the community welfare and attending these programmes can never replace the welfare of the people.”
Replica of Ajmer Sharif Dargah
Leaving politics behind, kids looked happy to join the processions and enjoying Eid-e-Milad.