Imams call for peace and tolerance on Eid

Guwahati: The city celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr in spite of heavy rain on Thursday.
Devotees thronged mosques even as it poured in the morning. The heavy rain made it difficult to organize Eid prayers at Idgas or on fields. In many areas, the prayers were held inside mosques.
"We offered namaaz inside the mosque. We prayed for peace. There is no violence in Islam and no place for it either.Islam stands for peace," said Hafiz Qari Maulana Syed Ahmed, Imam of Sijubari Masjid in Hatigaon.
Most other imams across the city also echoed Ahmed in their call for peace and harmony. The clerics preached tolerance and respect for other religions, keeping in mind the recent terror attack in a Dhaka cafe.
"There is need for tolerance and respect for other religions in our society. Islam is a religion of peace and we strongly condemn those who use Islam as a means of violence," said Mazzedur Rahman of Social Justice Forum, a city-based voluntary organization.
In several areas of the city, people took out rallies condemning the atrocities perpetrated by the Islamic State (IS) and other terror organizations. The rallies were led by the imams of mosques and were taken out after the morning Eid prayers.
"We strongly condemn the violence propagated by the IS. Such men are the enemies of Islam. Muslims here want strict action against such organizations," said Wazid Haque who took part in a peace rally.
Heavy crowds were seen at Bura Masjid, one of the oldest mosques in the northeast and believed to have been consecrated in 1665. The Bura Masjid, according to legend, was built by a Mogul soldier who hailed from Baghdad. Places like Machkhowa, Lakhtokia and Panjabari also wore a festive look on Thursday. Not just Muslims, members of other communities also enjoyed the mid-week holiday.