Friday 18 September 2009

Rallies, Ceremonies in Support for Palestine Held on Al-Quds Day


Rallies, Ceremonies in Support for Palestine Held on Al-Quds Day
Batoul Wehbe Readers

18/09/2009 People across the world commemorated the International Quds Day holding rallies and ceremonies in support of Palestinians. Al-Quds Day is not an Islamic religious holiday but a political event open to both Muslims and non-Muslims alike, and thus observance is not obligatory in Islam.

Millions of Iranians marched across the streets of the capital and other cities to voice support for the Palestinian cause. Iranians marched nationwide, namely in Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz and Mashhad, in opposition to the continued occupation of the holy lands by the Zionist regime.

Several Iranian officials including the newly appointed head of the judiciary Sadegh Larijani attended the demonstration in Tehran. Secretary-General of Islamic Jihad Movement Ramezan Abdullah and Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal were also present at the rallies.

Al-Quds Day, designated by the late founder of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, is observed on the last Friday of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Mass rallies are held in different parts of the world on the occasion every year in solidarity with Palestinians and in condemnation of the occupation of Jerusalem (al-Quds).

Muslims and non-Muslims in huge numbers all over the world demonstrate to renew their dedication to support the Palestinians and to condemn the Israeli occupation.

At the end of the rallies, a statement was issued in support of Palestinians. The statement said that the Iranians "support Palestinian resistance", adding that "Israel must avoid any new adventurism" in the region.

In Lebanon, a ceremony is to be held in Beirut, Dahiyeh (southern suburbs) at 5 p.m local time (14:00 GMT). Hezbollah secretary general Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah will deliver a speech marking the occasion.

Thousands of Muslims in Pakistan have held rallies in commemoration of the annual Al-Quds Day. Stringent security measures were adopted on Friday in all major cities of the country including Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Multan, Bahawalpur, DG Khan to avert any untoward situation.

Special prayers were offered on this particular occasion for ending of miseries being faced by the Muslims across the world. Similar rallies were held across the both parts of Kashmir, media reports said.

Earlier, in line to highlight the importance of Quds day, an Iftar Dinner was hosted by Ambassador of Iran Masha'allah Shakeri at the Iranian Embassy in Islamabad, Associated Press of Pakistan reported. "Let us Keep the memory of Quds Sharif alive on this day," he said while addressing the function.

The leader from religious political parties Jamaat-e-Islami and Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan, former student union leaders, Jafaria Alliance and Palestine Foundation on Thursday demanded the government to officially declare the last Friday of Ramadan as the "International Quds Day"

Addressing a press conference in southern port city of Karachi, former senator Allama Abbas Kumaili hailed Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, saying that he had called for World Quds Day soon after the Islamic revolution was brought about in Iran.

"World Quds Day has revived the hopes of Muslims and oppressed people across the world that Palestine must be liberated and holy Quds should be its capital," the Daily Times quoted Kumaili as saying.

The Pakistani people also hailed the Lebanese people and the heroic resistance of Hezbollah that repelled the Israeli invasion, forcing Israeli grounds troops to flee the battlefield. In honor of Hezbollah's victory the demonstrators waved hundreds of Hezbollah flags and the most popular photos of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. They also held the placards of the late Founder of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini, and Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei.

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