As the people from all over the world are assembling here before proceeding towards Makkah Sharief for Umrah and Hajj, Kashmir along with Palestine figures prominently in the prayers of Muslims from different nationalities.
Kashmiri Hajjis are easy to identify among the lot due to their colour, psyche and looks and one can easily make out that they are different from Pakistanis and Indians. There is a tradition at Masjid-e-Nabvi (SAW) that Muslims greet each other after every Namaz and pray for peace and prosperity for each other. Despite there being no official dua within Masjid-e Nabvi (SAW) Hajjis pray at their own level for Palestine and Kashmir.
A group of Hajjis from Turkey while talking to us said: “We are aware that Kashmiris and Palestinians are facing oppression and lot of tribulations. The best we can do is pray for them and that’s what we are doing.”
A local Arab said that during the Hajj season people used to offer special prayers for Palestine, Kashmir and Chechenya at Masjid-e-Nabvi (SAW), but for the past few years practice has been stopped. “We heard that India had raised the issue of prayers being offered for Kashmiris during Hajj at the highest level with the Saudi government. The Government of India had requested the Saudi government to ensure that Kashmir should not be a part of the official prayers during Hajj,” the Arab claimed.
He said that despite there being no official prayers, people who assemble here during Hajj season do pray for Muslims of Palestine, Kashmir and other regions where Muslims are facing hardships.
Another local Arab said that other practice during Hajj was to collect donations for the people of Kashmir and Palestine. “We came to know that the money which was collected for the victims of conflict regions never reached them following which that practice was also stopped,” the local added.
Amidst lakhs of Muslims a few thousand Kashmiris who arrive at Madina and offer prayers at Masjid-e-Nabvi (SAW) do pray for peace and prosperity of Jammu and Kashmir with a hope that day would come when they would be able to live without any fear and threat.
Most Muslims who visit Madina are very much aware about the difficulties Kashmiris are facing and whenever anyone introduces himself as a Kashmiri, the first question which they ask is “Has situation improved?” or “Are you people still facing the similar problems.”
Muslims seem well aware about Kashmir problem and need no counseling about what is happening in Kashmir. “All we can do is that we can pray for you and hope that may Allah end your sufferings and give you a chance to live with dignity and honour,” said a group of Hajjis from Sudan.
They said internet and social media have turned world into a global village. “Whenever we get time we surf the internet to know what is happening in the Muslim world. You need not explain us. We know Kashmir is an unresolved issue due to which lakhs of Muslims are facing tremendous difficulties in that part of the world,” they added.
