By Gift Sitima &Pemphero Malimba:
The Lilongwe Sunni Foundation has challenged Muslims in the country to embrace peace and unity.
Lilongwe Sunni Foundation Chairperson Aamir Patel made this statement yesterday on the sidelines of a Ziyarah parade marking the birth of Prophet Muhammad.
The event was conducted in conjunction with the Qadria Muslim Association of Malawi.
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“Our Prophet Muhammad has always delivered the message of peace, kindness towards others and unity with everyone. This is something that we must practise in our society,” Patel said.
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He added that the celebrations were crucial for both the Muslim community and the country at large.
“During the event, we prayed for our nation, Malawi. We want continued peace in the country so that people can live harmoniously and show love to one another,” Patel said.
During the event, some less privileged people from various parts of the city were provided with packets of maize flour, milk and beans.
One of the recipients of the food items, Uladi Saizi, described the distribution as timely.
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“At the moment, people are struggling to find food, so this kind of support is instrumental. It teaches us to embrace the spirit of giving and love in our daily lives,” Saizi said.
The Lilongwe parade started from Livimbo Primary School and proceeded to the Muslim Sports Club in Area 2.
In Blantyre, the celebration began with a parade from Kanjedza Masjid to Mpingwe Sports Club.
National Coordinator for the parade, Mohamad Aboo, described this year’s parade as successful.
He also said that as part of this year’s celebrations, they distributed food packs to over 15,000 people who gathered at Mpingwe Sports Club.
“Almost 50,000 people attended the parade from Kanjedza and as part of our charity work—which is also one of the pillars of Islam— we contributed about K350 million for the food packs that we distributed today,” he said.
Deputy Mayor of Blantyre City, Jomo Osman, said the celebration brought unity among people.
“The presence of Blantyre City Mayor Joseph Makwinja and the Southern Region Police Commissioner, Noel Kaira, shows that even though we belong to different religions, we can celebrate together as brothers and sisters,” Osman said.
The Ziyarah Parade is a birthday celebration of Prophet Muhammad, which falls on the 12th day of Rabi’ Al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar.
