By Steven Godfrey Mkweteza
Organizers for this years’ Ziyara parade have disclosed that preparations for the annual event is set for next week Tuesday across the country
Briefing journalists in Blantyre today on the preparation, representative for the Al_ Tariqatul Quadria Sunni Association(AQSA), Maulana Shafi Ahmed said this years’ parade is expected to host a total of 3000 people as compared to 200 paraders last year.
Ahmed said the historic celebration will also not involve the youth and women so as to reduce the numbers as a precaution measure against covid 19.
” This year we planned that other people can converge at their various locations for the parade instead of bringing them together at one place like what we have been doing in the past to control the effects of covid 19,” he said, adding that the function in Blantyre have also been shortened to under 3 hours.
According to Ahmed, the Meelad celebrations have been budgeted for a maximum of MK25 million but will not involve people from other countries like in the past.
Ahmed, whose organization is the organiser for the annual celebrations, urged Muslims in the country to remain united and exercise love among each other during the very blessed month of remembering the birth of the last Prophet Muhammad.
” We Muslims need to set aside this day to observe the role that Muhammad played in bringing islam to the rest of the world and connecting them to the Almighty God, Allah,” said Ahmed.
Every year, the Muslim community across the world celebrates the birth of prophet Muhammad, who was born in the year 570AD in the holy city of Mecca.
He is believed to be the last prophet and the highest personality in Islam as a religion.