The Milad-un-Nabi procession which is used to mark the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad, may be postponed this year as it coincides with the Lord Ganesh festivities. However, there is no across the board consensus among the organisers.
The Milad-un-Nabi procession traditionally takes place on the 12th of Rabi ul Awwal, a significant month in the Islamic calendar. This year, it corresponds on September 28.
The Milad-un-Nabi procession has been a collective effort of nearly 40 Muslim groups, including Qadri Chaman, Sunni United Forum of India, Quadria International, and others, for about 16 years.
While a full consensus among all participating groups is still awaited, Sayeed Quadri, representing Quadria International, confirmed that deliberations are underway to consider postponing the procession, and deciding a date when it would be organised. This decision comes as a result of the procession falling on the same day as Ganesh festivities.
Syed Auliya Hussaini Murtuza Pasha from Quadri Chaman, who spoke over the phone, said that it is likely that the Milad-un-Nabi procession will indeed be postponed this year, given the unique circumstances of the two festivals converging on the same day.
“We had discussions on whether the procession could begin early in the morning, passing through areas where the Muslim population is greater and circumvent the Ganesh pandals. However, it did not appear viable as the question of procession participants returning on time was a significant issue,” explained Mr. Sayeed Quadri.
Syed Ghulam Samdani Ali Quadri, an office bearer of another group involved in organising the procession, indicated that a consensus among all organisers regarding the procession’s fate is yet to be reached. “A few organisations have stated this in their individual capacity. Announcements should be done collectively, not unilaterally. There are many other things that have to be looked into, and not just the procession. This includes feeding people on Milad. I intend to meet the Commissioner of Police on Monday to discuss the issue,” he said.
Those aware of developments said that organisers face immense pressure from the public given that the Milad-un-Nabi procession is a sensitive and emotive issue. With each passing year, the procession has been swelling in terms of number of participants and optics. They said that efforts would have to be made to explain to the public that likely postponing of the procession is to avoid possibility of untoward incidents, or unpleasantness between communities.
