SLIDESHOW: Town comes out to celebrate Eid-Milad

Around 1,000 people turned out to a procession to celebrate one of the most important dates in the Islamic calendar.
Around 1,000 people turned out for Dewsbury's Eid-Milad parde. (am_dewsbury_eid-010)Around 1,000 people turned out for Dewsbury's Eid-Milad parde. (am_dewsbury_eid-010)
Around 1,000 people turned out for Dewsbury's Eid-Milad parde. (am_dewsbury_eid-010)

The parade, from Westtown to Savile Town was arranged by mosques in Dewsbury, Batley and Heckmondwike to celebrate Eid-Milad, the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed.

Participants waved green flags as the procession travelled from the Gulzar-E-Medina Jamia Mosque, in High Street, to the Ghausia Jamia Mosque, in Warren Street.

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Senior scholars rode in a horse-drawn cart while food was handed out to people who took part.

Around 1,000 people turned out for Dewsbury's Eid-Milad parde. (am_dewsbury_eid-010)Around 1,000 people turned out for Dewsbury's Eid-Milad parde. (am_dewsbury_eid-010)
Around 1,000 people turned out for Dewsbury's Eid-Milad parde. (am_dewsbury_eid-010)

Speaking after the procession, scholar Shaiykh Mufti Sahibzadha Noor-Ul-Arifin said: “This is not a political gathering, but a purely religious peace procession where local Muslims who follow mainstream Sufi Islam can learn about the life of Prophet Mohammed.

“A person with a black or white skin, male or female, elderly or young, rich or poor, Muslim or non-Muslim, all were equal to him.

“This was Mohammed’s true Islamic state. He was always teaching his followers to show love and compassion.

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“This is exactly why the Wahhabi extremists like the Taliban and Al-Qaeda do not celebrate prophet Mohammed’s Eid-Milad, his birthday, because these peace processions go against their political agenda of spreading hate and violence.”

Organisers emphasised that the message of the procession was to spread a message of peace.

They said there were no disturbances during the event.

The festival of Eid-Milad takes place during Rabi-Ul-Awwal, the third month in the Islamic calendar.