By attending the family Milad March held under the banner of Minhaj-ul-Quran International today, the people of Lahore welcomed the holy month of Rabi-ul-Awwal in style. People belonging to every age group including men, women and children zealously took part in two Marches simultaneously held in Lahore and Karachi.

Milad March in Lahore started from Nasir Bagh and concluded on Data Darbar. Such a large participation of people in the March was demonstration of their extreme love for the Holy Prophet (SAW). The entire venue from Nasir Bagh to Data Darbar was decorated with welcoming banners, flags and multi-colour balloons. The people, on the way, kept on offering greetings and salutations on the Holy Prophet (SAW). Men were walking on one side of the road, while on the other side were women and children.

The children released hundreds of pigeons as a mark of their happiness marking the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal. Balloons of very colours were also released in the open space.

Dr Raheeq Ahmad Abbasi, Secretary General of Minhaj-ul-Quran International, and Irshad Ahmad Tahir, Amir of MQI Lahore, led the March. Haji Muhammad Gulzar, Dr Shahid Mahmood, GM Malik, Hafizullah Javed, and other provincial and central leaders were also present on the occasion.

Addressing the mammoth gathering of Milad March through video conferencing, Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal was superior to other months because the Holy Prophet (SAW) was born in this month. He said that the blessed month was a month of peace, love, happiness and harmony. He said that this holy month provided rare opportunity to the faithful to get blessings and spiritual rewards. He further said that the arrangement of Milad conferences, Milad caravans and Marches and other related celebrations in this holy month strengthened the faith of the Muslims besides affording them an opportunity to revive their weakening relationship with their revered Prophet (SAW).

Commenting on the prevailing state of affairs, Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that the people of Pakistan were faced with numerous problems. There was scarcity of necessities of life and restlessness, and anxiety was ruling the roost. He said that the materialism had taken away happiness from the people. He said that respect for relationships was on the wane and worship was fast becoming a ritual shorn of any substance.

Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that if the people of Pakistan wanted to get rid of these crises, they must follow the teachings of the Holy Prophet (SAW) both in letter and spirit so that we may get back the lost spring of our lives. He said that establishment of spiritual and emotional relationship with the Holy Prophet (SAW) was important to reform our lives. He said that when the followers establish personal relationship with their beloved Prophet (SAW), it not only becomes easy form them to implement his teachings but such a compliance also becomes a source of comfort, and spiritual taste. He said that desire for obedience could not take place without worship and love.

Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that Minhaj-ul-Quran International has spread the awareness about love and respect for the Holy Prophet (SAW) through its highly well-knit and efficient organizational set-up in five continents of the world. In emotional tone, he said that his entire life was spent in teaching people about the love of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and the purpose of his life was to promote this awareness and celebrate the love for the Prophet (SAW).

Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that he who loves the Holy Prophet (SAW) cannot be an extremist or a terrorist because action of such a person gives birth to an attitude marked by peace, love, brotherhood, respect for humanity, and tolerance. He further said that he whose inner self became an incarnation of love for the Prophet (SAW) becomes a source of peace for people around him. He said that the love of the Prophet (SAW) brings about revolution in the inner world of man.

Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri urged the people of Pakistan to act upon the teachings of the Holy Prophet (SAW) as a panacea to come out of the worst crises afflicting them. He said that the love of the Prophet (SAW) would be instrumental in promoting the feelings of brotherhood and peace in the society and eliminate terrorism, militancy and revenge from its midst. He said that the same applied to the entire Muslim community. He added that the only way for the Muslims around the globe to render their decline into rise lay in following the teachings of their Prophet (SAW).

Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that he who loved the Holy Prophet (SAW) could not hate the human beings because he is himself the embodiment of love and peace for the world. He said that the love for the Holy Prophet (SAW) could rid our society of the scourge of terrorism. ‘The need of the hour is to hold spiritual gatherings, and offer greetings and salutations on the Holy Prophet (SAW) to strengthen our bond with the beloved Prophet (SAW) at both individual and collective levels,’ he maintained.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Raheeq Abbasi, Secretary General of MQI, said that MQI has become a powerful reference point when it comes to spreading the teachings of the Holy Prophet (SAW). He said that Shaykh-ul-Islam has been engaged in a struggle against the forces of terrorism and extremism which have debunked the fair name of Islam. He said that Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri guided the Muslims at most critical juncture of their life.

Dr Abbasi said that the participation of hundreds of thousands of people in the Milad March was a representation of collective voice against terrorism, extremism and militancy. He said that the people of Lahore had told the world that they were peaceful people. Irshad Ahmad Tahir also spoke on the occasion.