Masjid-e-Bilal, a mosque on Bannerghatta Road stood as a testament of unity with its ‘Masjid Darshan’ organized on Sunday.
With the intention to promote brotherhood and religious harmony, the organizers of the darshan called upon people of all faiths, ages and genders to explore the insides and functioning of the masjid. “Our country has a plural society. It is important that people know their religious, cultural as well as linguistic aspects. This way, they can understand each other better and that will bring about harmony in society which is diverse and plural,” said the president of Jamaat-Islami-Hind, Jayanagar.
Visitors were taken on a tour of the masjid by a group of 10-15 guides, all speaking in vernacular languages. They touched upon the idea and principles of Islam, the masjid and the rituals practiced in the compound. Thereafter, the organizers performed the evening prayers succeeded by a description of the meaning of the prayers.
One of the organizers, the president of the Solidarity Youth Movement, Mohammed Aqheel stated that there were a lot of misconceptions and prejudices attached with masjids and how they function and that this darshan was an attempt to clarify those misconceptions.
Moreover, elders from various faiths made an appearance at the masjid for the darshan. “Women, officials, youth, students kept coming, and so did children and it made us happy that brothers and sisters from other faiths have responded positively to the invite. I hope society will welcome it and will take it positively to organize such events in different masjids of the city,” Aqheel added.
The four-hour program stood as a landmark of religious tolerance and harmony in a time where both of the two concepts seem to be stagnant in the nation.
