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Times of Oman
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Times of Oman
Eid-ul-Fitr celebrated across India with gaiety and fervour
New Delhi: Eid-ul-Fitr,a festival marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, was celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour across the country. In New Delhi's Shah Jahani Masjid, people came out in large numbers to offer prayers. To boost the community bond, in Jaipur's Idgah Road Masjid, Hindu brethren showered flower petals and also offered beverages to devotees to quench their thirst, sending a clear message toall those trouble-makers that India is a united country and there is no rift in society. In Kashmir's Hazrat Bal Dargah, more than 100,000 people offered prayers. Similarly, in Bhopal, having India's biggest Tajul Masjid, a larger number of devotees came to offer prayers in the morning. In Varanasi, Muslims hugged their Hindu counterparts after Eid prayers showcasing their love and brotherhood. News of a larger number of people coming out for prayers came from cities like Patna, Meerut, Saharanpur, Hyderabad, Kanpur, Vadodara, Agra, and Ghaziabad. In Agra, Eid prayers were offered near the Taj Mahal, where many devotees gathered to pray for peace and unity. The prayers were followed by warm greetings among the community. Around 50,000 people gathered at the Shahi Eidgah in Sambhal to offer Namaz on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. Salman Khan's sister Arpita Khan threw an extravagant Eid celebration on Monday night. The star-studded event, which blended both glamour and warmth, saw the presence of many Bollywood celebrities, including Sonakshi Sinha, Riteish Deshmukh, Bobby Deol, Jackie Shroff, Genelia Deshmukh, Sonali Bendre, Lulia Vantur, and others. Family members, including Arbaaz Khan, Alvira Khan, and Aayush Sharma, also added a familial touch to the event. Bollywood couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan on Monday celebrated Eid. The duo hosted a special lunch for their loved ones at their residence. Giving a sneak peek into Pataudi's Eid celebrations, Saif's sister Saba took to Instagram and shared adorable pictures. Dressed in ethnic attire, the Patuadis looked extremely happy as they bonded over delicious food and non-stop "gupshup."In a historic display of inter-faith harmony, the Indian Minorities Federation (IMF) organised a Multifaith Sadbhawna Eid event at the revered Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah, marking the conclusion of the holy month of Ramzan. Esteemed spiritual leaders from the Sikh, Christian, Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist communities came together to extendmessages of love, peace, and unity to the Muslim community. The event celebrated the invaluable contributions of the Muslim community to India's remarkable development and saluted the spirit of patriotism and nationalism that unites every Indian.
Times of Oman
29-03-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
President Trump hosts Iftar dinner, says 'keeping our promises to Muslim community'
Washington, DC: US President Donald Trump hosted an Iftar dinner at the White House, marking the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. During the event, Trump expressed his appreciation for the Muslim community and stated, 'We are keeping our promises to the community,' adding that 'while I'm president, I will be there for you.' Sharing some pictures of the Iftar party on X, The White House wrote, "President Trump hosts Iftar Dinner... 'We're keeping our promises to the Muslim community. My administration is engaged in relentless diplomacy to forge lasting peace in the Middle East, building on the historic Abraham Accords... While I'm president, I will be there for you." Meanwhile, Ambassadors and diplomats of Muslim-majority nations hailed India's strong ties with the Islamic world, emphasising how these relationships have deepened under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership over the past decade. The ambassadors and diplomats of 19 Muslim-majority nations had gathered at the 'Sadbhavana Iftar' hosted by the Indian Minorities Federation (IMF) at the residence of Rajya Sabha MP and IMF Convener Satnam Singh Sandhu in New Delhi on Thursday evening. The event was attended by ambassadors and diplomats from Somalia, Morocco, Afghanistan, Syria, Gambia, Mali, Bangladesh, Sudan, Djibouti, Algeria, Malawi, Cameroon, Chad, Guinea, Iraq, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, Nigeria, Iran, and the UAE. Also present were Islamic scholars, religious leaders, intellectuals, and social reformers, including Majid Alnekhailawi, Maulana Syed Kalbe Rushaid Rizvi, Haji Syed Salman Chishty, and IMF co-founder Himani Sood. Before breaking their fast, attendees offered prayers for peace, harmony, and prosperity in India and across the world. Addressing the gathering, ambassadors from Muslim-majority nations highlighted India's strong ties with the Islamic world. They noted India's growing engagement with South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East, particularly in strengthening security and economic cooperation. Notably, Iftar is the meal eaten after sunset during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. It is a time to break their day-long fast and is often a social occasion where families and friends gather to share food and company.
Times of Oman
28-03-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
India: Ambassadors from 19 Muslim Nations Attend 'Sadbhavana Iftar' to celebrate Ramadan
New Delhi: The Indian Minorities Federation (IMF) hosted a 'Sadbhavana Iftar' at the residence of Rajya Sabha MP and IMF Convener Satnam Singh Sandhu in New Delhi, bringing together ambassadors from 19 Muslim-majority nations to celebrate the spirit of Ramadan. The gathering reinforced India's long-standing ties with the Islamic world, with diplomats acknowledging Prime Minister Narendra Modi's role in fostering strategic, economic, and cultural partnerships with Muslim nations. The event was attended by ambassadors and diplomats from Somalia, Morocco, Afghanistan, Syria, Gambia, Mali, Bangladesh, Sudan, Djibouti, Algeria, Malawi, Cameroon, Chad, Guinea, Iraq, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, Nigeria, Iran, and the UAE. Also present were Islamic scholars, religious leaders, intellectuals, and social reformers, including Majid Alnekhailawi, Maulana Syed Kalbe Rushaid Rizvi, Haji Syed Salman Chishty, and IMF co-founder Himani Sood. Before breaking their fast, attendees offered prayers for peace, harmony, and prosperity in India and across the world. Addressing the gathering, ambassadors from Muslim-majority nations highlighted the strong ties India shares with the Islamic world, emphasising how these relationships have deepened under PM Modi's leadership over the past decade. They noted India's growing engagement with South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East, particularly in strengthening security and economic cooperation. "India's engagement with the Gulf region, which supplies over 60 per cent of its crude oil, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) nations, with which bilateral trade exceeds USD 200 billion, has become more robust and multifaceted under PM Modi's leadership in the past 10 years," they stated. They further acknowledged India's increasing diplomatic presence in global affairs, with PM Modi receiving the highest civilian honours from several Muslim-majority countries. The ambassadors highlighted India's consistent stance in promoting peace and stability in global conflicts involving Muslim nations. They noted that "India has long positioned itself as a strong advocate for peace, stability, and dialogue in global conflicts involving the Muslim world, from Palestine to Afghanistan." They emphasised India's support for a two-state solution for Palestine and humanitarian aid to Gaza. They also commended India's role in Afghanistan, stating, "India has played a constructive role by investing in critical infrastructure, education, and healthcare to improve the lives of the Afghan people." The ambassadors pointed out that India has never engaged in military aggression against any Muslim-majority country and has upheld diplomacy as a guiding principle in its foreign policy. Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu, who hosted the Iftar, underscored India's tradition of coexistence and inclusivity, stating, "Ramadan is not just a religious observance; it is a time for reflection, generosity, and community bonding--a sentiment that India deeply values and upholds. India has always been a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious society, where every faith has co-existed in harmony for ages. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has further strengthened this spirit of oneness and brotherhood amongst Indians over the past decade by ensuring the progress of every community irrespective of any discrimination through his 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' mantra, reflecting India's inclusive ethos." Ambassadors also spoke about India's growing role in the Global South and its contributions to developing nations. Sudan's Education Counsellor, Mohamed Ali Fazari, said, "India is championing the cause of the Global South along with other developing and developed countries. India is a leading country in the world in terms of helping many other nations across the world. The relationship between India and African nations has strengthened over the years. We have seen how India helped many countries during the Covid-19 pandemic." Edson Moyo, Minister Plenipotentiary of Zimbabwe, praised India's technological advancements and its impact on global development. "India and Zimbabwe share strong bilateral ties. India has always stood by Zimbabwe. We have focused on economic diplomacy and continued to move together. Artificial intelligence is one new area where India is moving forward rapidly. India has become the fastest developing country in the world. India can help in technology transfer. We have a lot to learn from the social sector and particularly the IT sector in India. India's role as a technology transfer hub is very important. We are very excited to learn about the UPI payment system in India; it indeed is a great experience to pay by UPI. You don't have to carry cash; everything is done electronically. We are also working to introduce a UPI-like system in our country. We are looking to establish more collaborations with India." High Commissioner of Gambia, Mustapha Jawara, credited India's leadership in global peace efforts and its role in international diplomacy. "During Covid, India donated Gambia lots of vaccines, and that saved so many lives. We are grateful to the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and his government for that." He added, "He (PM Modi) is the leader of the Global South. I will say that the Prime Minister (Modi) is the best of the best. In the Global South, we love him. He is a global leader. He has shown this during the G20, and we in the Global South are proud of him for his role. It's because of him, our Continent, Africa, has a representation in the G20. So we are grateful for that. He is championing our rights at all levels. So we have nothing but to thank him." On India's commitment to peaceful coexistence, he remarked, "India is an example as the second-largest Muslim country as far as I know. Me as a Muslim, has been invited to a function by a non-Muslim. That is a testament to that." He also praised India's diplomatic efforts, stating, "Because of India, there is peace in the world. If it were not India and the Prime Minister (Modi), the issue between Russia and Ukraine would have gone to another level." Cultural Counsellor of Iran, Fariduddin Faridasr, emphasised the cultural and historical ties between India and Iran, saying, "What is common between India and Iran is that Prime Ministers of both the nations are connected to their soil, rooted in their culture, heritage and value system. India and Iran shared strong bilateral ties in the past and they will continue to strengthen it further in future as well. Due to these shared beliefs of PMs of both the nations, bilateral relations between India and Iran will be strengthened further. Supremacy of law is the soul of secularism, and India has that unique power of secularism which is one amongst the many reasons that India will progress further as it gives respect and love to people from all communities equally." A representative from Iraq attending the event also echoed the sentiment that India remains committed to inclusive development. "India is a multi-cultural, multi-religion and multi-community nation, but under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the whole country is united to work for one cause of Viksit Bharat. The relationship between India and Iraq is growing in all the fields. The minority communities have been looked after with care and affection in India."
