Muslims pray for peace and harmony on Eid

Madurai/Trichy: Celebrations of Eid-ul-Fitr filled Madurai and Trichy cities with joy as thousands of Muslims gathered and offered special prayers marking the end of the holy month of Ramzan on Saturday. In Madurai, the Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ) organized special prayers at the Tamukkam grounds and in around 25 other locations, including Thirumangalam, Melur, and Villapuram. In Tamukkam alone, around 5,000 people participated in the prayers. In Trichy, special prayer meetings were conducted at Uzhavar Sandhai ground early in the morning. Congregational prayers were also organized at more than 100 locations across the city. Prayers were also offered at mosques and grounds at Manapparai, Puthanatham, Thuvarankurichi and in other parts of the district. Biriyani, the signature dish of the festival, was in high demand, and hotels offered special combos to cater to the public."The festival celebrations are deeply rooted in the Islamic tradition of helping the poor to the best of one's ability before attending the Eid prayer," said Amjath Khan, the Madurai district secretary of TNTJ. "The core philosophy of the day is to ensure that no one goes hungry. So, devotees provided essentials such as rice, groceries, and meat to the poor before heading to the prayer grounds."In the Madurai district, goods worth around Rs 30 lakh were collected from the public and distributed to around 10,000 people.Beyond local charity, this year's gathering also included a significant focus on global harmony and the sanctity of human life, according to Amjath Khan. "Special prayers were offered for a peaceful solution to international conflicts, specifically the unrest involving Israel, the US, and Iran," he said. Citing the Holy Quran's teaching that no human life should be taken unjustly, he said that the congregation prayed for a swift end to violence so that people worldwide are no longer affected.Padikattugal, an NGO, organised a celebration at the Joe Andrea Illam children's home in Kadachanendal, Madurai, to promote religious equality. K Brahmashakti, a member of the NGO, said, "We all decided to promote religious harmony by having a team of primarily Hindu people visit a Christian children's home to celebrate a Muslim festival."