Government not Tablighi Markaz to blame for Pandemics Deaths

Govt not Tablighi Markaz to blame for Pandemics Deaths

Syed Ali Mujtaba

The Markaz or Global Centre of the Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin West in New Delhi has emerged as the hot-spot for Corona virus spread. The reason is this religious center had organized a three-day meet from 13-15 March. In this over 2,000 people took part a few included from Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Kyrgyzstan.

Even after the end of the event some 1,400 people continued to stay at the "Markaz" making it a ticking time bomb of COIV -19 positive cases. It was detected that some 1033 people were showing symptoms of COVID-19 and have been evacuated from the center and 334 of them have been sent to hospital and 700 sent to quarantine center.

The Police cordoned off the entire neighborhood of Nizamuddin West and virtually sealed it following fears that some people at the ‘Markaz’ may have contracted COVID-19.

The people who attended the congregation at the Markaz and have returned to their native places were showing symptoms of Corona virus attack on them. As many as six persons who returned to Telangana from Delhi have died due to the fatal virus attack. There were COIVD- 19 positive cases emerging from at least five regions of India including J&K, Tamil Nadu, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh and the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

The officials said the congregation violated the lock down conditions and several COVID-19 positive cases have been found among those who attended the gathering. An FIR against the Markaz head has been filed. The government has appealed to all those who had attended the congregation prayers in Delhi must inform the authorities.

Responding to this, the Jamat Markaz in Nizamuddin in a press release has said that the Markaz is the international headquarters of Tabilghi Jamaat for close to 100 years.  Visitors/guests/devotees/worshipers from across the globe throng the place for pre-scheduled programs lasting for no more than 3-5 days. All the programs are decided a year in advance in order to facilitate visitors from far-off places to plan their participation.

On 22nd March 2020 during the “Janta Curfew” the ongoing program in Markaz was discontinued but due to sudden cancelation of rail services across the country, a large group of visitors who had to depart by rail got stuck in the Markaz premises.

However, before the “Janta Curfew” could be lifted at 9 PM on March 22, Delhi CM announced lock down of Delhi beginning at 6 AM on March 23, till March 31^st. The press release further said that this actually diminished any chances of these stranded visitors to avail road transport for their journey back home. However, in spite the challenging situation Markaz was able to send about fifteen hundred visitors back.

On March 24, 2029, a nationwide lock down was announced by the Prime Minister with clear message for people to stay-put wherever they are. Markaz under such circumstances had no other option than to accommodate the stranded visitors in its premises.

Markaz press release further says that on March 24, a notice was served seeking closure of the premises and on the same day it responded to the directions given by informing that there are still around 1000 visitors in the Markaz. A request was made by the Markaz to issue vehicle passes so that the remaining people could be sent back to their native places.  However, the requisite permission was not given, the press release said.

On 25th March 2020, a Tehsildaar along with medical team visited the Markaz and many visitors were examined. Further, on March 26, the Markaz further apprised the authorities about the stranded visitors and sought permission for the vehicles it had arranged to take the visitors to their destinations. However, no permission was given again. On March 27, six persons were taken for medical check-up and on March 28, a WHO team visited the Markaz and 33 persons were taken for medical checkup. 

The press release said that the Markaz is willing to offer the entire premises as a quarantine facility and help the authorities tide-over the challenge of current pandemic.

No if we analyze the media attribution to the Tablighi Markaz at Delhi to be the carrier of corona virus then it clearly emerges as a case of false or one sided reporting.

No report says that the religious congregation was held from March 13 to 15 and not during the period of lock down. The function was held with due permission of the government and the government did not ban the function even though the specter of Corona virus loomed large.  

No media is questioning why the government issued visas to the foreigners to attend the function. Why the officials did not subjected to the foreigners to any medical checkup and quarantines them at the airport.  It is certain that if the foreign invitees to the congregation were screened and tested at the airport, then the Corona virus could have been detected and all the deaths that have followed could have been avoided. Is not this a criminal negligence on the part of government and does not government responsible for such negligence.

And now when the COVID -19 has erupted in a big way then the propaganda against the Markaz has started. And this is because no one can question the government and the people in power as they are infallible and above the law. 

The blame on the organization such as Markaz is the set theme of Islamophobia and in this both traditional and social media are a party. Both kinds of media are indulging in blame game to cover the short comings of the government and to change focus of attention from the human tragedy that spilled following the 21 day lock down of the country. 

If the media is hand in gloves then the people of this country should demand answers from the Union government as to why it has put such a large number of people at risk when it alone was in know of things. Why the government did not  alerted the Markaz about the precautions of Corona and why in first place it did not canceled any such gatherings when the Corona threat was at doorsteps.

As the government is responsible for the mass murder during the recent Delhi riot, it is equally responsible for the Corona death at the Tablighi Jammat Markaz in Delhi.   

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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba2007@gmail.com

Corona Blues – It’s time to break from Past and build new India

Corona Blues – It’s time to break from Past and build new India

Syed Ali Mujtaba

 It is hard to remember that just a few weeks ago; our country was in motion, a moving anarchy that is how many westerners call India. There were protests all over the country over citizenship issue. The Citizen Amendment Act, the National People’s Register and National Citizen’s Register had stirred a hornet’s nest. It triggered communal riot in Delhi where Hindus killed Muslims and vise-versa. Human being divided themselves into religious groupings and gunned for each other’s life.

In the order of the day there was hyper nationalism, safrronization, anti-Pakistan, anti-Kashmir, anti-Muslim rhetoric’s, government made anti-poor policies, crony capitalism and neo-liberalism were promoted.

There was live demo two things simultaneously going on in our country and we witness them with remorse. One was Indian economy going for a free fall from the cliff. This started with demonetization, then the promulgation of tax regime and the general slowdown of the economy.  

The talk about India going to be five trillion economy, third largest economy in the world and second largest economy in Asia that once bloated the countrymen ego went down the drain. It’s being said that it will take long time get back to the peak from where our economy has fallen.

The second spectacle fanged was unabated and aggressive Hindu nationalism. This hyper nationalism was taking fascist shape. The lock down in Kashmir, killing of the Muslims, detention camps, were all part of the order of the day, as we saw secular fabric being tore apart in the country. 

The right wing extremism oozed out with the ruling government having renegade to its international commitments. Even as India's rogue characteristics went on open display the global community ignored its anti-democratic characteristics for the sake of billions dollars market that India has to offer them.

All these things were happening in perfect cacophony very smoothly and delinquently, till corona virus stepped in and put spokes to the order of the day. Everyone was left petrified, fearful and helpless by these deadly microscopic particles. It draws a red line that divides the order of the day from then to now.

In the current situation there is a wave of anxiety that prevails all over; death continues to stalk us and those divisive forces that were going gung-ho are calling for truce. Everywhere humanity first is the clarion call.

Those who built a political constituency in the name of religious nationalism and has come to power through stoking hate and were in their lynching mission now are fear their life as death in on prowl taking the form of a virus .

The JSR folks who came out in large number beating the tin and clapping to make synchronized sound made a fool of them as locking indoors and social distancing could alone save them from death.   

So what lies ahead in the future is sure is that we cannot mimic the past. It looks impossible to imagine a return to the old ways even after the 21 days lock down period is over. Some say that it will take six to nine months for normalcy to return. If we judge the past with the current situation it can be said: ‘we won’t go back to normal, because normal was the problem’.

In the global perspective the lock down gives a vivid account of the past and the present. Venice's canals have become crystal clear, Italy coasts have Dolphin's coming nearer. Japan now has Deer roaming free in the streets and same is the case with monkeys in Thailand. China has record breaking pollution cuts.

The earth has already begun showing signs of amazing things that are happening from the absence of human pollution. If the entire human population realizes this as an opportunity to restart society on a greener more environment conscious manner a better future is ensured. All these we are seeing in the span of a couple of days.  

When we get past these virus threats, can we rebuild our society one more time in an egalitarian way, can we banish the politics of hate, can we become more environmental conscious, can we banish pollution and give our lungs fresh air. There are endless possibilities that post Corona future offer us to change ourselves. Corona has taught us the lesson is we are human first. It also has taught the lesson that we can’t go back to normal, because normal was the problem. So it is time to break from past and build new India.

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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba2007@gmail.com 

Images of Superstitious India or is it Symptoms of Hindu Rashtra?

Images of Superstitious India or is it Symptoms of Hindu Rashtra?

Syed Ali Mujtaba

In Visual Communication it is said the reality speaks through the images. On Sunday March 22, 2020 at 5 PM, people in India turned out in good numbers at their balcony, entrance of the house and on terrace to make noise by beating the tin, ringing the bell, blowing the conch and many making sound by handclap, all apparently were doing this due to the astrological belief that if collective noises are made all over the country at a particular time, then it may ward of the killer corona virus.

The TV images that were beamed in India prominently showed Hindu religious icons like, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath Yogi, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev and other people who looked like Hindus. All of them were seen engrossed in doing some Hindu religious rituals no way looked like cheering for the para medics and others who are fighting the Corona virus in the country.

The images showed up on the TV screens clearly show people doing some religious chorus then why did the narrative change that they were in a ‘buck up’ exercise. This is because the images could not be hidden from the public view and what could easily twist are the motives attached.

It seems more probable that the cheer up reason was invented much later then the announcement of the synchronicity act of religious exercise but when superstitions glared to abnormal heights, rationale motive was invented to hoodwink the views living elsewhere in the world.  

Nonetheless secular motive was exposed because in the images those indulged in noise making exercise were Brahmis or their look alike as the dominant participants. The images of CM Adityanath and Ramdev and other saffron colored people and their acts tell the story in its semiotic flavor. 

The conspicuous feature in the images is that there was no participation of Muslim, Christian or Sikhs organized clapping orgy. Even the dalits and the tribals did not take part in this exercise. What does it mean to India as nation as whole remains a subjective interpretation but the secular cloak on the religious act cannot hide the fact   that project Hindu Rasthra is progressing well in the country.

The other image that was recently flashed in the media was where scores of people mostly Hindu men and women were seen drinking cow urine apparently to keep them safe from the Corona virus. This obnoxious image of the Cow Urine drinking party is still haunting many minds and giving nauseating feelings.  

What is scientific rationale is behind the drinking of animal waste. Whose brainchild is behind this idea that drinking animal excrement can ward off biologically created virus? What mind set do these people have who believe the virus can stay away by drinking animal secretion? Is Snatam Dharma so irrational superstitious and insane religious or these folks are enemy of Hinduism and hell bent to disrepute to this egalitarian religion?   

All these visual images tell a lot about the changes that are taking place in India at the ground level.  The visual text analysis makes it abundantly clear that the BJP government is progressing towards its goal of Hindu Rashtra and what it has been able to achieve in just six years or so is quite a feat. In the same breath it can be said that the Congress and others who ruled the country for over seventy years or so could not lay the foundation of scientific temper to hold this country together. 

This visual analysis clearly tells the tale that the country is drifting towards a theocratic state with ignorant, superstitious and hyper religious people. They also convey the message  it is far from the secular, scientific and rationale ideals of the nation  that was envisaged by the founding fathers of this nation. 

In sum, I leave it to the readers’ to make their judgments with the wisdom at their command as to which direction we are heading and whether it is good or bad country. Right now we are all are united in the fight to defeat the common enemy and that's Corona virus.

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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba2007@gmail.com

Corona Virus message to the Sin, Sinners and the Sinned

Corona Virus message to the Sin, Sinners and the Sinned

Syed Ali Mujtaba

At a time when the Corona monster is at our door steps and we are lock down in confinement of our homes, there is a realization that human race can only survive in close cooperation and not in confrontation.

The global mechanization of power politics like power blocks, economic blocks and other such arrangements cannot save the mankind and in this hour of trial tribulation only human being can each other to save the humanity.

In the Indian belief system when the sin grows too much on earth then the supernatural force makes an intervention and cleans our planet from the sin, sinner and the sinned.  This global threat from the Corona virus is perhaps a result of such super natural intervention.  

Undoubtedly, the evil has now caught up the world with the scruff telling them that nations and rulers who think they alone can punish some helpless people because they control of state power must now realize how weak they are as bend on their knees begging for life.

Those nations and dictators thinking to be the lord and masters of the universe and capable to deliver infinite justice are now made to realize that there are some more powerful force mightier than thou who can show them their right place.  

In other words the message from the Corona virus is that the nations and dictators that think they are mighty and invincible must realize that there are stronger powerful forces than thou.  

It said that Corona Virus is the curse on the world from those subjugated people facing untold miseries from the nation states and its rulers. It is curse of the people who are living in the global trouble spots like Kashmir, Palestine, Syria, Ugur and others, where human sufferings are uncountable. It’s their curse and sufferings that have made the world realize the true meaning of human sufferings.

Corona virus is making the world realize the curse and suffering of the subjugated people it can be fixed only when the wrong doings and evil designs are truly addressed. 

As Corona virus comes face to face with the evil doers of the world and people are quarantined homes it is time for self-introspection and try making a balance sheet for evil doings and noble deeds. This applies to individuals and nations, communities and groups, regions and religion and so on and so forth.  

This self-introspection should be based on the Indian belief system of Atma, Karma and Dharma. Atma is listening to one’s eternal voice and take action based on it. This voice of the Atma, determines one’s deeds or Karma. The actions based on Atma and karma is the dharma or the moral force that holds human being together. 

The symbiotic relationship of Atma, Karma and Dharma steers the world in the path of peace and harmony. Perhaps Corona virus is here to make us realize the value of respecting human beings and eschew the path of conflict and disharmony.  

In this hour of trial and tabulation as an Indian it is not the time count the injustices that individuals and nation has done for political and religious gains but once we make an introspection of the actions done in recent past then we realize the how unjust these actions happen to be in the paradigm of Atma, Karma and Dharma.

Here are just a few cases that tell a real story of one’s Karma and Dharma. Was the action of the abrogation of Article 370 based on the voice of the Atma. Can the voice of the Atma put a very large number of people into agony misery and trouble?

Lynching human for the sake of animal, is it the call of Atma and such Karma fulfills one’s Dharma. Introspection on this is needed when we are fighting the evil of Corona virus.     

Demolition of the place of someone’s worship by claiming as its own is it the call of Atma and does such Karma fulfills one’s Dharma.

The judicial verdict on the disputed site against the aggrieved and making justice a mockery that rests on whim’s and fancies, is it the call of Atma and does such Karma fulfills one’s Dharma.

The Citizenship issue centered on CAA, NPR, NCR that involves thousands of human being discriminated and sent to detention camps, is it the call of Atma and does such Karma fulfills one’s Dharma.

One can go on giving the examples unjust decisions that do not comply with Atma and karma and no way satisfy the moral force or dharma that binds human kind together.

Perhaps Corona virus has come to the world to make the statement that sin, sinners and sinned must realizes the value of listening to the eternal voice of Atma, Karma and Dharma. As it alone determines one’s fate and their ill thought actions may bring peril to the mankind. 

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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba2007@gmail.com

Stop India’s Churning Process or it will be a Failing Welfare State

Stop India’s Churning Process or it will be a Failing Welfare State

Syed Ali Mujtaba

Cambridge historian Anil Seal in his monumental work, “The Emergence of Indian Nationalism: Competition and Collaboration in the Later Nineteenth Century (1971),”   writes, ‘In 1857, India was not one nation, in fact there was no nation, India was a jumble mumble of societies, a graveyard of nationalities and India nationalism was yet to be born. Anil Seal attributes the birth of Indian nationalism to the British rule that incubated Indian nationalism for next hundred years and gave it as a parting gift to every Indian.

 There may be some who may disagree with Anil Seal’s thesis but it seems in contemporary India this is a hot currency.  The current rulers are reaping rich dividends of this gifted nationalism and peddling it in a new flavor that is ultra-nationalism.

The ultra-nationalism is being preached and practiced at its splendid best during the current regime. Those at the helm of power are projecting ultra-nationalism by bringing Hindu militancy into sanatam dharma. In the quest to glorify Hinduism they are targeting the helpless Muslim minorities, crushing the democratic norms and a doing a host of other things that bemoan India sliding towards a failing welfare state.

This is how India’s churning process is going on. There are two distinctive trends that is vividly being witnessed are the new political and social agenda of the ruling dispensation. The political agenda is the project Hindu Rastra and the social agenda is to purge the Muslims and suppress them to the extent that they convert their faith into Hinduism. The other notable features of the churning up are as follows:

The leaders of ruling party are consciously making noise about the glorious past of the Hindus. They want to regain the glorious past so that the supremacy of Hindus could be reestablished. In this world view Muslims are the biggest villains. Hence they need to be extricated from India. The fallout from the thought process of regaining the glorious past of the Hindus are; CAA, NPR, NCR etc. all anti- Muslim ideas.

Cinematic art is being used to glorify the lost-golden age of Hindus. There is distortion of history in Indian cinema and manufacturing of Hindu glory. Common themes in current Indian movies are hate against Muslim rulers and glorification of Hindu rulers.

This ultra-nationalism is emanating from the ruling party’s head that is Prime Minister Modi. Modi who has now come to symbolize as India is Modi and Modi is India. Any criticism of Modi is considered an attack on the prestige of the nation.

Then the ultra-nationalist is using Islamophobia and bigotry against Muslims as its twin weapon to hold the sanatan dharmist under its umbrella. This recipe is working well in India and demonizing Muslims is the best bet to flag the cause of ultra-nationalism. 

Suppression of freedom of expression is another facet of the churning out process currently underway in India. Criticism of the government is taken as an attack on the nation.   If anyone dares to criticize the ruling party, he/she is called anti-national. As such the word anti-national has become most fancy in today’s lexicon. Any dissent has to be suppressed as anti-national and its punishment is under the sedition and treason laws.

Most of the news media are directly or indirectly controlled by the ruling party. In India, Media has to glorify the ill-conceived policies of the government or have to face its punitive wrath. The fourth estate is under the tutelage of the government that is holding the largest democracy of the world at its mercy.

In India corporate houses is being protected, as they are the ones who supply money to the political parties and make them come to power. Therefore the political parties have vested interest to protect the corporate houses because they want funds from business houses to run the election. The corporate houses reap rich dividends from political party they back assumes power. Both have mutual interest in protection of each other’s interests.  

After Muslims, the labor force is the most suppressed entity in this country.  Under the neo-capitalism paradigm, the labor force is seen with disdain.  The present is making all attempts to suppress the labor forces and they are rendered completely helpless.  The current government does not know the power of organized labor movement that has toppled many such power drunken regimes in the world.

In sum, the executive, the judiciary, the bureaucracy, the police, the army, the media, the education system, some professionals are all part of the churning process that India is facing today. They are not just individuals who responsible for the cancerous growth in India’s body. The imprints of churning up have permeated deep into the entire state apparatus. 

Well these are some of the inchoate images that are at work to change the nature and character of India. In this changing India, many Indian are in a state of despair dejection and suffocation. They do not know how to deal with the fascist forces that have taken over the country.

There is wide spread protests seen all over India as the fascist forces are hell bent to change the nature and character of the country. The only ray of hope in such moments of despair is the ordinary people of this land. The common masses have raised a standard of revolt against those who are propagating the fascist ideology to make India a Hindu state. 

The common man is undeterred by the state repression and is fighting tooth and nail to protect the fundamental character of India. They are vociferously opposing this fascist regime and have come on the streets in large numbers opposing this repressive government.

As the Hindu India is galloping on the bosom of modern India, the burden of hope rests on the shoulders of the common Indians. They are kindling the hope that hard earned Indian nationalism helped Indian gain freedom from the foreign rule should not be surrendered to few thugs who are using ultra-nationalism to remain in power. 

In these moments of introspection, as Indians we first need to recognize these disturbing trends unfolding before us. Then we need to organize to oppose the fascist policies of the current government and stop such ill-conceived churning process. As Indians if we are not going and arrest this slide, India will soon be bracketed as failing welfare state.

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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba2007@gmail.com    

Madhu Kishwar- Chameleon Academic

Madhu Kishwar- Chameleon Academic

Madhu Kishwar, well known feminist and editor of women’s magazine Manushi is once again in news for peddling communal material alleged to be fake news.

This time this pioneer scholar of women's studies in India has put up a video on her twitter handle alleged to be footage from Bangladesh where a group of Muslims wearing skull caps are indulging in act of violence against another group.

Kishwar, passes this video saying it is from the recent Delhi riots where Muslims are instigators of Violence.    

Madhu Kishwar, is currently employed as a chair Professor in the Indian Council of Social Science Research.

    

Well once I have been admirer of Madhu Kishwar, particular in the late 80s and early 90s when she was a secular and progressive writer and can be equated to Arunditi Roy of today’s India.

This was the time when there was no social media and Kishwar was taking cudgel against Hindutva protagonist Arun Shourie and Swapan Das Gupta who were spewing venom against Muslims in the English press.            

Madhu Kiswar through powerful writing in the dominant English press attracted many eyeballs as she opposed militant Hinduism. As she opposed Hindutva politics tooth and nail, she was a NATURAL cynosure of many Indians like me.

It is a mystery best known to her why she did somersault and changed her colors to embrace the Hindutva ideology. I find such symptoms in Madhu Kishwar abnormal  and bizarre. What prompted her take a U turn when she already had attended  recognition as an academician and have gained considerable respect. It is certainly an enigma  what prompted  her to start championing the cause of Hindutva.  

If we go Freudian theory of psychoanalysis, a human’s conviction settles by the time of adolescence or youthful stage of life and not when one gains maturity and has climed the summit of name and fame.

Kishwar’s reputation has got considerably tarred, once she openly started writing in adulation of Hindutva. She is now being noted for her praise for Narendra Modi to the extent of comparing him with Mahatma Gandhi.

She had also written a book 'Modi, Muslims and Media: Voices from Narendra Modi's Gujarat' (Manushi Publications, 2014). This book absolves Modi, then Prime-Ministerial candidate of any involvement in the 2002 Gujarat riots and effusively praised him as a non-communal politician.

I can understand politician doing the chameleon act, but what prompts academics to do such activity. Such a person is a shame, a slur on all those who are engaged in the noble cause of pursuing knowledge.  

"Visit My Masjid" Programme gets a warm response in Tamil Nadu

"Visit My Masjid" Programme gets a warm response in Tamil Nadu

  Syed Ali Mujtaba

Chennai March 3, 2020: In wake of discretion of mosques and killing of ‘Imam’ at the recent riots in Delhi, some Muslims in ‘Vaniyambadi,’ a town about 200 km from Chennai, organized a ‘Visit My Masjid’ programme at Masjid-e-Khaderpet on             Sunday March 1, 2020.

This was done to strengthen inter-faith relations and build a constituency of peace and communal harmony among the people of different faiths in Vaniyambadi, one of the hubs of leather exports at Tirupattur District in Tamil Nadu.

It was for the first time a mosque’s door was opened to people belonging to different faiths. More than 400 non-Muslim brothers and sisters visited Masjid-e-Khaderpet under the "Visit My Masjid" programme.

They were curious non-Muslims visitors from all walks of life such as; students, professionals, politicians and businessmen etc. They were welcomed with open arms by the volunteers, trustees and committee members of the Khaderpet mosque.  

They were taken to the different portions of the mosque and volunteers explained to them about the rituals and concepts of Islam. The explanation started with the water tank (Hauz) where the visitors were told about the way a Muslim perform ‘Wuzhu’ (ablution) before saying the prayers. This was to convey the message of importance of cleanliness in Islam.

Some visitors showed great interest in learning the way of performing the ‘Wuzhu’ and few tried to clean their hands and legs, nose and mouth in the Islamic way of ablution.

The visitors were them taken to the place from where the ‘Azhan’ call for prayer, was given.  The Arabic words of ‘Azhan’ were translated and its meaning was explained to the guests.

This was followed by the explanation on the timings and names of daily five time prayers. They were also explained why the timings vary in hours. The guests were then taken to the prayer hall of the mosque. They were explained about the architectural features of the prayer hall like ‘Mihrab’, ‘Minbar’ etc.

They were explained about the ways of prayers in the mosque are performed.  How lining up or ‘Saf Bandi’ in prayer is being done. How “Khutba” or sermon in congregation prayers like on Friday prayers is made. The visitors were also told about the importance of “Imam” in leading the prayers.

Placards were at display in few places of the mosque to help the visitors understand the concepts of Islam and the way Muslim pray in a mosque to add clarity to ‘Visit My Masjid’ programme.

The visitors were then taken to nearby the graveyard or ‘Qabrastan.’ They were explained about the way funeral prayer is performed and how burial is done.  The visitors were also explained about the concept of ‘Aaqirath’ or life after death in Islam.

They visitors very much appreciated the "Visit My Masjid" programme.  They were impressed by the way they were welcomed and treated in the mosque. They gave their feedback in a form and also recorded their experience on video camera about their enhanced knowledge and understanding about Islam and its teachings.

The SIO Vaniyambadi Unit and members of the Masjid-e-Khaderpet deserve special thanks to initiate such a peace loving concept of "Visit My Masjid" programme. The organizers can be contacted at 9500359571 and 8148989402.

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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba2007@gmail.com