The night of prayers

Significantly, the fervour of piety reaches out to the month of Ramadan, the prelude to which is basically marked by the advent of what is popularly known as Shab-e-Barat. That way, it is preparatory to the holy month of self-abnegation.

Prayer alone, one shouldn't be in any doubt, cannot change our lot, what is needed is righteous action as our religion enjoins and wisdom suggests. Consideration for others, fellow-feeling, sharing of wealth and poverty, working for common good and peace and rejection of violence in all forms are the bed-rock of a spiritually developed society capable of working hand in hand with the rest of the world.

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This is a challenging time for the Muslim world in two different ways: first, there is an extremist view of religion feeding on misinterpretation of Islam which seeks to erupt in violent forms and occasionally does. One of its manifestation is through the political use of religion. At the other pole, while militancy is in a minority, it is regrettably through this key-hole that religion as a whole gets misunderstood and stereo-typed. There is obviously the need for a better understanding of Islam.

Let us pray on this night for the collective wellbeing of mankind.