Mumbai : The 25th Annual International Sunni Ijtema (three-day congregation) organised by Sunni Dawate Islami group began on Friday at Azad Maidan. The first day of the event was exclusively for women.
Around 80,000 Muslim women gathered in Friday to listen to speeches on Islam, their roles and responsibilities, and to prepare themselves in accordance with Islamic teachings to develop a moral society. The gathering will continue till Saturday at Azad Maidan from 3pm to 9pm.
Maulana Shakir Ali Noorie, President of the Sunni Dawate Islami group, has been organising the gathering for Sunni Muslims for the last 25 years. The event is organised every year in December month where around 3 lakh Muslims across the state attend it.
On Friday, scholars and Islamic preachers gave speeches on various topics related to women including upbringing of children, the priorities of women in life, maintenance of relationship bonds and the role of women in human development. A question- answer session was later organised where women could ask questions on Islam, social issues, religious issues etc.
Shabina Irfan Shaikh, Principal of a school in Kurla, said: “Every year, the gathering for Muslims is organised and women in large numbers attend it. We not only speak about Muslim women’s problems but also make them aware about values such as discipline, use and misuse of internet, education for children, etc.”
At the gathering, more than 10 scholars and Islamic preachers will speak on peace and communal harmony and vow to instill greater humanitarian values in people. Rizwan Abdul latif Khan, vice-president of the organisation, said: “In the three-day gathering, the speakers will talk about education, ignorance, world peace etc.”
