LAHORE - Millions of Muslims started performing Aitkaf Wednesday evening at specified corners of thousands of mosques across the country.
They will spend last 10 days of Ramadan at specified places while praying and seeking forgiveness from the Almighty Allah. They will continue worship till sighting of Shawal moon.
Aitkaf is performed by worshipping after confining oneself to a small place inside the mosque or in the house (for women) last 10-days of Ramadan. Considered as the essence of all worships during the holy month of fasting, Aitkaf this year carries more urgency since the entire Ummah particularly Pakistan are gripped by a number of crises like terrorism, load shedding, dearness and unemployment.
Men perform Aitkaf in small cubicles set up by hanging large cloth sheets inside the mosques, whereas women at any corner in the house. Mosques in Lahore have been tastefully decorated and places allocated to the worshippers on the first-come-first-served basis because of an ever increasing number of those intending to perform Aitkaf. Normally the mosques invite requests from the worshippers and the committee allocate places to them for which special arrangements are made by apportioning small cubicles made by hanging cloth sheets.
The worshippers spend their time reading Holy Quran, Nawafil and praying Almighty for showering His blessings. Special prayers will be offered for the security and solidarity of Pakistan and for resolution of all the crises.
Special security measures have been taken at the mosques to ensure safety of the believers in view of the prevailing law and order situation. While more guards have been deployed for the security during the night time, majority of the mosques had collected copies of the Identity Cards and other particulars from the worshippers before allocating them places. These worshippers are provided Sehri and Iftari by their relatives inside the mosques to facilitate them concentrate on their worship.
But as part of worship and regular practice during Ramadan, many philanthropists and common citizens send food items for Sehri and Iftari inside local mosques.
Besides Aitkaf City established by Minhaj-ul-Quran, historical Badshahi Masjid, Data Darbar Masjid, Muslim Masjid, Shadman Masjid, Sunehri Masjid, Masjid Shuhada, Jamia Ashrafia and Jamia Naeemia remained the priority of thousands of believers for performing Aitkaf.