Kashmir celebrates Shab-e-Meraj with night-long prayers & devotion

Srinagar, Jan 27: Thousands of devotees thronged religious places across Kashmir on the eve of Shab-e-Meraj on Monday. Shab-e-Meraj is celebrated as the holy night when Prophet Muhammad (SAW) ascended to the highest levels of the heavens.
The event was observed with great devotion throughout Kashmir, with people praying the entire night at major religious places. The largest gathering took place at the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar, where thousands of people joined in the night-long prayers.
Devotees from all districts of Kashmir travelled to Hazratbal to offer prayers and see the holy relic. Ghulam Hassan, a devotee from Bandipora, said, “We have been coming here for decades. It’s an important night when our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) ascended to heaven. We must remember his teachings.”
WAKF officials shared that many people spent the entire night in prayers and other religious activities. The evening started after the Maghrib prayers, followed by Naat and Darood Khawani. At 10 pm, Esha prayers were held, followed by a sermon focused on the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the events of Shab-e-Meraj.
Religious activities continued through the night with recitations of Darood Khawani until Fajr prayers. The holy relic will be displayed after every prayer on Tuesday.
Several Islamic and cultural organizations also held special prayers and Mehfil-e-Naat in mosques and other places to seek blessings from Allah. Night-long prayers took place in mosques and shrines across Jammu and Kashmir, where religious scholars talked about the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Special prayers were held at major shrines in Srinagar, including Asar-e Sharif Janab Sahab Soura, Asar-e Sharif Shehri Kalashpora, Ziarat-e-Makhdoom Sahab, and Khanqah-e-Mauala.
The district administration made special arrangements for Shab-e-Meraj. The Power Development Department (PDD), Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Directorate of Health Services (DHSK), and Transport Department were all involved in ensuring the smooth celebration of the night.
To keep the area clean, SMC officials mentioned that extra cleaning drives were held around religious places, especially at Hazratbal. The traffic police in Srinagar also made a detailed traffic plan to ensure smooth movement for people attending the event.