Green Tablighi (Islamic Preaching) Ijtema Draws Muslims Worldwide

Just like every year, around one million muslims from world countries flocked to the Indian central city of Bhopal to marlk the annual Aalmi Tablighi Ijtema, the third lagest gathering after Hajj and Bishwa Ijtema of Bangladesh. "I am here to learn about Islam" one of the participants of Ijtema Yusuf Khan from Chittagong said . " I am born Muslim but never knew what exactly Islam is, here I am learning about Islam and its teaching." Another participant from South India said," Allah has given this life and it is up to us to decide how to lead our lives. Our lives should be for the betterment of mankind. Here I learnt how to become a true Muslim" The three-day annual gathering which runs from December 14 to 16, brought Muslims together from around the world, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, South Africa, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, UAE, Yemen, France, USA, Thailand and Morocco. The first Ijtema in Bhopal was organised in in 1948 in local mosque since then it is the regular feature of the city. For the first time in its history, the organisers of annual Islamic congregation said they will not allow tobacco and ploythene in the premises. Even the shops inside the premises will not sell tabacoo. Prominent Muslim scholar and preacher Maulana Saad said, " Muslims should follow the path shown by our Great Prophet Muhammad Mustafa Ahmad Mujtaba (SAW), We are moving away from Allah and His true religion Islam, due to which we are facing humiliation in the world." Another Islamic scholar Maulana Ahmad Laat Sahab said," It is easy to be a Muslim, but it is not easy to be a true Muslm. A Muslim is someone who set an example for the society through his deeds and acts, his acts should be harmful for the society but beneficial to the mankind." After the death of Sheikh Inaam ul Hassan, ge former Amir of the Tablighi Jamaat in 1995, a shura (consultation) council was founded with Haji Abdul Wahab Sahib, Sheikh Zubair ul Hassan and Sheikh Sa'd Al-kandahlawi as members.