Tuesday was the day of Shab-e-Barat in the Islamic calendar. An event organized to celebrate this night by the Jamia Masjid & Islamic Centre in Southall was totally overflowing with people of all ages and sexes.

The guest speaker for the night was 'Hazrat Allama' Muhammed Hussain (Nakshbandi Paak Patan Sharif, Pakistan). Among the speakers was Pakistan poet Syed Aman Syed.

The event which started at 7.30 pm was organized as follows:

• Recitation of the Quran
• Naat-e-Rasool
• Maghrib prayers
• Naat-e-Rasool
• Isha prayers
• Guest speech - 'Hazrat Allama' Muhammed Hussain
• Food
• Imam led nafl prayers

The first floor was reserved for the ladies. All available space in the mosque grounds was fully taken up by the attendees.

The Jamia Masjid as well as the Abu Bakr mosque remained open during the night for individuals to pray or read the Quran.

At the Jamia Masjid those intending to fast on Wednesday morning were served with the sehri food by courtesy of the Burraq Restaurant (formerly Babu Tandoori) before the morning Fajr prayers.

The fast, abstaining from food and drink, starts before 4 m in the morning and last until after 8 pm at night. For some individual this will be the second day of fasting.