Multi-Faith Poets Recite Naats at Mumbai's Islam Gymkhana for Communal Harmony

Poets from diverse religious backgrounds gathered at Islam Gymkhana in Mumbai on Saturday to recite Naatiya poetry in praise of Prophet Muhammad as part of the fifth annual Naatiya Mushaira. Organised under the Prophet For All Campaign, the gathering aimed to promote peace, mutual respect, religious harmony, and national unity.

The programme commenced with Arshiya Siddiqui presenting Hamd and Naat, followed by a Naat recitation by Anushka Nikam. Naats are devotional poems written in praise of Islam's prophet and his message.

Farid Ahmed Khan, president of Urdu Caravan, programme in-charge, and a member of the Prophet For All Committee, said the annual gathering was eagerly awaited by followers and poetry enthusiasts. He noted that the presence of writers and poets from Mumbai and several other cities across Maharashtra added to the occasion's importance, describing the multi-faith participation as a reflection of India's shared Ganga-Jamuni culture.

Advocate Yusuf Abrahani, president of Islam Gymkhana and chief patron of the campaign, said members of the organisation's core committee had visited multiple cities and districts across Maharashtra to spread messages of peace, tolerance, and humanity.

The mushaira was organised into two distinct sessions. The first session was conducted by poet Irfan Jafri and presided over by Dr Sagar Tripathi, an author of several Naatiya poetry collections. The second session was conducted by Madhav B Noor and presided over by Sarfaraz Arzoo, chairman of the All India Khilafat Committee.

Among the poets from various faiths who presented Naatiya poetry were Dr Lakshman Sharma, Wahid Anant Nandurkar, Khalish Hukam Chand Kothari, Dr Ganesh Gaikwad, Dr Sonal Chaudhary, Ravi Kedia, Sandeep Yadav, and Hira Lal Hira.

Local poets including Ubaid Azam Azmi, Dr Qamar Siddiqui, Prof Jameel Kamil, Dr Zakir Khan Zakir, Ejaz Hindi, Syeda Tabassum Nadkar, and Mohsin Sahil also participated in the recitations. Students and teachers from Maharashtra College, Akbar Peerbhoy College, and Burhani College attended the event.