Love for the Prophet Demonstrated
at Momin Lodge
By Naushad Sarwar
Speakers at the Milad ceremony |
Torrance:
On Thursday, April 21 2005, a record number of people turned
up at the Momin Lodge to pay homage to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
and to celebrate his birth on 12 Rabi’u-l-Awwal 571
AC.
It was a working day, yet the number of attendees steadily
mounted to furnish proof of the Muslims’ love for the
Holy Prophet.
Dr. Hasan Ud-Din Hashmi, a well-known Islamic scholar, initiated
the proceedings by reciting a naat befitting the occasion.
The blessed night was admirably emceed by Dr Hashmi, who is
a prominent figure among religious scholars in Southern California.
The learned speakers included Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, Dr.
Ahmad H. Sakr, Dr. Aslam Abdullah, Shaikh Rabih Othman and
Dr. Hasan Ud-Din Hashmi himself. The Naat khwaan included
Sister Meher, Brother Abuzar, Brother Anwar, Brother Waseem
Beg, Sister Muneera, and Sister Naghmana. An Anaheim group
also recited religious poetry to the accompaniment of music
and played several instruments likes drum and duf to fill
the air with profound love for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Above : Glimpses of Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi celeberation
at Momin Lodge |
The
speakers exhorted the gathering to practice the teachings
of Islam in letter and spirit and respectfully regard the
Prophet as a role model. Observed Dr. Shaikh Rabih Othman:
“Hazrat Esa (s.a.s.) received food for his followers
as naemat and called it the day of Eid, but the birth of the
Holy Prophet (PBUH) was rehmat for the whole universe.”
Dr. Hasan Ud-Din Hashmi testified. “A handicapped daughter
of an idol worshiper saw an unusual bright light in the sky
and prayed for her health. The next thing she knew was that
she was able to walk. The Greatest Prophet (PBUH) was born.
He went to Mecca where people told Abu Talib he had a grandson.”
Dr. Aslam Abdullah who started his speech after the Maghrib
prayer criticized those who believe the celebration of the
Holy Prophet’s birthday is bid’a. “Why God
asks every living being on the earth to reach Him through
the Holy Prophet (PBUH)?” he posed the question.
Dr. Muzamil H. Siddiqui prayed to Allah to bless us, protect
us, and bestow on us love for the Almighty and His Holy Prophet
(PBUH). “A human being is incomplete without following
the Holy Prophet (PBUH), his spirituality, devotion to mankind,
ethics, character, integrity, loyalty, honesty, generosity,
steadfastness in friendship, humility in success, magnanimity
in victory, simplicity, wisdom in conceiving new solutions
for problems which could not be solved by traditional methods,
without affecting the fundamental concepts of Islam. Surely,
all these are foundations for a true Muslim and a dynamic
Islamic society in the years ahead."
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