ISLAMABAD- The demand for CDs, DVDs and audiocassettes of Naats, Durood Sharif, Qawalis, Quranic verses and Islamic ringtones has increased in the markets of twin cities of Islamabad Rawalpindi.
The sales of CDs, DVDs and cassettes of various renowned Naatkhawans have gone up in Ramazan, and music outlets have started playing fresh naats to attract customers.
Kashaf Rashid, a resident of sector F-6/1, said that she had purchased two DVDs of various Naats. “I purchase DVDs of fresh Naats every Ramadan and play them during Sehar and Iftar,” she said. “I have downloaded naats and some Quranic verses onto my mobile phone because I don’t want to listen songs during Ramazan.
Being a Muslim, it is our duty to respect the sanctity of the month,” said Muhammad Ramazan a resident of Shamsabad, Rawalpindi.
M Hashim, owner of a music outlet, said that the demand for such CDs, DVDs and audiocassettes had increased during the last 11 days. “Our sale is expected to continue to rise in the coming days of Ramazan,” he said.
Many people can be seen purchasing Islamic DVDs, CDs and cassettes from different markets. The shopkeepers are also busy in advertising their CDs by playing in the markets to attract customers.
Qasim Ali, while buying CDs of Naats at a shop, said that he always prefers to buy some CDs of renownd Naatkhwans.
He also complained that the CD sellers are over-charging by taking advantage of increased demand. Sales managers of various companies in Rawalpindi told APP that the people running cassettes and CDs companies pay more attention to big name scholars, clerics and preachers as well as the famous reciters of the Quran in holy month of Ramazan.
They declared that these cassettes and CDs are prepared before Ramazan carrying the names of scholars, titles and special excerpts of each cassette or CD capable of attracting the attention of targeted audience.
When demand of these products increase during the blessed month of Ramazan, most street vendors and children turn to Islamic cassettes and CDs because they feel this business is more lucrative than anything else they could buy during Ramadan.
These people distribute the Islamic cassettes and CDs including Quran, sermons and Anashid before mosques and in street intersections and crowded markets. Seeking to make more profits and money, mobile telecommunication service providers joined the competition through providing a wide range of services for Islamic tones, containing supplications and Anashid and SMS messages.