Srinagar
Khawaja Digar, a special prayer, was on Wednesday offered at the Naqashbandh Sahib (RA) shrine in Downtown with thousands of devotees thronging the revered shrine for the congregational Asar Salah amid chilly weather.
Braving cold wave, devotees thronged the shrine of the revered Sufi saint located at Khwaja Bazaar, Nowhatta, for prayers and supplications. A large congregation of devotees offered special Khwaja Digar prayers in the afternoon.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chief cleric of Kashmir threw light on the life of Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Muhammad Naqshband Bukhrai (RA). He said great Sufi saints like Hazrat Khawja Bahaudin (RA) were the blessed and chosen ones by Almighty Allah to spread the teachings of the revered Prophet Muhammad (SAW) among people and who dedicated their life to it . Their life is a living example of piety and simplicity . They guided humanity and showed them the spiritual path of getting closer to Almighty Allah and helped to kindle compassion and kindness among them. The light of their teachings and exemplary lives penetrated the darkness of ignorance and doubt.
The Urs is celebrated on the 3rd Rabi-ul-Awal every year. Besides, the gatherings for special prayers (khatmat-muazzamat) are held for 12 days from 21st Safar to 3rd Rabi-ul Awal. These gatherings are held every day at 8 AM in the Khanqah-i-Naqshbandiya.
On the urs day after the Asr prayers, special mass prayers are held called Khawaja Digar.
On the occasion Mirwaiz led special touba-e-Istigfaar prayers (repentance prayers) and also offered the Khoje-e-Digar (the congregational Asr prayers), a 400 year old practice in Kashmir to remember Hazrat Khawaja Naqshband (RA).
