GOBIND SADAN SANGAT CELEBRATES EID-UL-FITR

Normally, thousands of Muslims from the surrounding area come to Gobind Sadan’s Nur-e-Ilahi Mosque for Eid celebrations. But these are not normal times. Since Gobind Sadan, like other religious places in India, is locked down to prevent spread of corona virus, our Jabbar Ali, imam of Gobind Sadan’s mosque, gave a special invitation to all the sangat living in Gobind Sadan to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr together. Many came, and all enjoyed being together for the special Namaz and programme. They sat far apart, according to government social distance norms, rather than shoulder to shoulder as in normal years.
During the holy month of Ramzan, many of the Muslim women and children who are part of Gobind Sadan’s resident sangat had observed total fasting from sunrise to sunset, abstaining from both food and water. They included Ruksana, Afsana, Feroze, Monu, Shajahan, Sahiba, Sahira Bano, Sabreen, and Tajrun Bano. Imam Jabbar Ali took the duty of reading the Holy Quran at the mosque every night, and this year three full readings were completed, compared to the two readings in normal years with readers from outside.
For the Eid-ul-Fitr observance on 25 May, the imam welcomed the sangat and said, “May this message of Gobind Sadan spread to the whole world.” He explained the parts of the Namaz and then led the sangat in the Eid Namaz, ending with a special prayer that all difficulties of Gobind Sadan and the world be removed.
After the Namaz, Jagjit Singh of Batala sang Bulleh Shah’s qawwal, “Tere Ishq nachaya,” (Your Love has made me dance. Oh healer, come back soon, else my life will end) adding some original verses about Gobind Sadan. Ekta Kaur, Jaspinder Kaur, and Prabhnoor Singh sang Bhagat Kabir’s kirtan from Guru Granth Sahib, “Allah paakan paak hai” (God is the purest of the pure). Imam Jabbar Ali addressed the sangat, warmly remembering Baba Virsa Singh Ji, for “this programme was begun by him. Now it is completely fulfilled, even in the midst of lockdown. ‘Eid’ means ‘happiness,’ and it is so, because you people have come with such love. ‘Fitr’ means eating and drinking happily. The greatest worship is to feed and help the poor. Someone asked what azan (the call to prayer) means. It calls people to listen to and spread the good message of God. Whenever there is a religious programme in Gobind Sadan—whether in mosque, church, mandir, or gurdwara–the angels come and are among us, getting rid of our faults.”
Gurdev Singh, member of Gobind Sadan Management Committee of Baba Virsa Singh Ji Maharaj Memorial Trust and Gobind Sadan Institute for Advanced Studies in Comparative Religion, took the occasion to tell the brief history of the Prophet Muhammad, Peace be Upon Him, because, as he said, “It is necessary for everyone in Gobind Sadan to have basic knowledge of all the prophets. All the holy books are messages from God, but priests begin to interpret them in their own way. Maharaj ji therefore taught us to understand all scriptures and prophets. Maharaj ji gave us this message and we should keep repeating it. We are of different religions, but Maharaj ji taught us that God is One. Guru Granth Sahib’s message is for everyone.”
The imam concluded the programme by saying, “May we all remain pure (paak), may this land remain pure, may this love reach everyone. Khuda has many Names but is One.”