Children read the Quran during the Fateha-e-Dwaz Daham. File picture

March 17: Celebration of Fateha-e-Dwaz Daham, the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammed, will be more than a ritual this time.

The day which, also happens to be Prophet’s death anniversary, is celebrated as a quiet festival throughout the world. The city, however, will have an extended celebration from Friday to Sunday.

Unlike the previous occasions when the celebration is restricted to Milad-e-Mehfil and recitation of the Quran, the organisers this time have lined up host of programmes.

Haji Musafirkhana will organise an inter-institutional quiz competition, painting and essay-writing contests, ghazal evenings and a seminar to celebrate the festival. Most of the programmes will be held on March 23.

“The basic purpose to organise these programmes is to sensitise people about the relevance of the life and teachings of Prophet Mohammed among all faiths. Islam as a religion has been misinterpreted by certain quarters and thus it has become imperative to hold events that can enlighten people in the right perspective about teachings of the Prophet. The real meaning of Islam is peace and universal brotherhood. So, we have decided to the spread message of peace through celebration of Fateha-e-Dwaz Daham,” Mohd Mohidul Islam, Musafirkhana trustee in-charge said.

Popular quizmaster and former principal of Cotton College Dilip Baruah will conduct the quiz.

The competition will be open to all school and college students. Though it will be general quiz competition, two rounds of the contest will focus on various aspects of Islam.

While the theme of the painting competition will be peace, measures to root out terrorism from present day society will be the topic for the essay contest. The seminar will focus on the fast degradation of moral and human values in society.

Prominent personalities from different walks of life and communities will discuss “how Islam can help stem erosion of moral values”. Jorhat Medical College principal Dhurbajyoti Bora, the director of Assam State museum, Saharuddin Ahmed, sitting judge of Gauhati High Court Justice I.A. Ansari and social worker Gulbadan Khan will address the seminar.

Pozir Uddin Ahmed, working president of Haji Musafirkhana Trust Board, said the board has diversified its activities and taken up schemes for public welfare.

“A library-cum-research centre was set up last year to spread modern education and make an endeavour to interpret Islam in the right perspective. A computer centre was inaugurated to help poor students. Fateha-e-Dwaz Daham will be the right occasion to carry out activities that can bring peace and prosperity to our society,” Ahmed said.

The Guwahati Fateha-e-Dwaz Daham, on the other hand, will also organise various events to celebrate the occasion on Friday.

Chief minister Tarun Gogoi will be present at the function. During the function several Muslim scholars will give presentations on “bringing peace to society by following the teachings of Prophet Mohammed”.