LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 22nd Mar, 2025) Thousands of Muslims sat Itikaf (seclusion) in different mosques of the country including Lahore city on Friday, Punjab Auqaf Department official sources said.
Special arrangements have been made in the city mosques including Badshahi Mosque, Data Darbar, Masjid-e-Shuhada, Itikaf City of Minhaj-ul-Quran set up in Town Ship and others aimed at facilitating the worshippers to make the most of their ten-day spiritual retreat.
The revered Data Darbar Mosque has become a focal point of devotion, with nearly 2,000 worshippers observing Itikaf, this year.
It is worth mentioning here that Itikaf is a period starting from the 20th of Ramadan when dedicated faithful seclude in the mosque for ten days in search of Lailatul Qadr and to seek the forgiveness of Almighty Allah by abandoning their routine business.
During this period these worshippers would not go out of the mosque for worldly purposes, except for essential needs. They devote their whole time to reciting the Holy Quran, and Zikar besides engaging in prayers seeking forgiveness and blessings of Allah Almighty.
The third ten days of Ramadan started today and the preparations for Itikaf in mosques across the country have reached final stages.
Like other parts of the country, special arrangements have been completed in Punjab for Itikaf in mosques specially in Lahore. Thousands of Muslims have started observing Itikaf from today night.
Earlier on Thursday, the arrangements for Itikaf were completed in Royal Mosque (Badshahi Masjid), Itikaf City of Minhaj-ul-Quran and other mosques of the city.
More than 600 people were registered to observe Itikaf in Badshahi Mosque, the sources confirmed.
Under the supervision of the Punjab Auqaf Department, arrangements for social seclusion (Itikaf) were made in the province’s top 100 mosques, including Jamia Masjid Data Darbar and other historically significant mosques, they said.
In Jamia Masjid Data Darbar, the city of seclusion has been divided into four sectors for over two thousand seclusion seekers. The process of setting up cabins named after Baba Ghousia, Baba Farid, Baba Bahoo, and Baba Ahmad Raza has begun in the designated sectors.
Special arrangements have been made for the security of those secluding at all parts of the province.
Unauthorized individuals and personalities will not be allowed entry into the seclusion cabins, and legal action will
be taken against violators.
Chairman of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee , Maulana Syed Abdul Kabir Azad extended warm welcome to the congregants at Badshahi Mosque on Friday. While, convener Langar Committee, Mian Saeed, is responsible for providing facilities including food for Sehri and Iftar to the congregants in the Data Darbar complex.
Similarly, the administration in other big cities of the province including Multan, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Okara, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Sargodha and Rawalpindi, is ensuring all out efforts to conduct a ten-day spiritual activity for worshippers.
