PESHAWAR: Jumatul Wida was observed with great religious reverence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the seven merged tribal districts, on Friday.

Like other parts of the country, the faithful in large numbers visited mosques in all the districts of KP, including Peshawar, and offered prayers on the last Friday of the fasting month that holds special significance to the Muslims, and sought forgiveness and mercy.

Big congregations were held in all districts of KP, including Mardan, Nowshera, Charsadda, Swabi, Abbottabad, Haripur, Mansehra, Battagram, Kohistan, Kohat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Khyber, Bajaur, Kurrum, Dir, Chitral, Shangla, Hangu, Buner, Malakand, Parachinar, South and North Waziristan, Orakzai, Mohmand and Swat.

In Peshawar, big congregations of faithful were witnessed in all major mosques of the provincial capital, including historic Masjid Mahabat Khan, Dervesh Masjid, Sonehri Masjid, Speen Jumat and Zarghoni mosques.

The faithful offered special prayers for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan and the independence of Indian-illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine.

The ulema and mashaikh delivered special sermons on the importance of Jumatul Wida, Lailatul Qadr, Ramazan and Eidul Fitr.

They urged people to follow the path of Allah Almighty and the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to achieve success here and hereafter.

Prayer leaders belonging to different schools of thought highlighted the importance of fasting, and observance of rituals like Shab-i-Qadr, Aitekaf and Fitrana.

They urged people to pay Fitrana before the Eid prayers at Rs300 per individual.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2023