 The huge Ijtema tent on the banks of the River Turag near Dhaka | |
| Native name | বিশ্ব ইজতেমা |
|---|---|
| English name | 'Global congregation' |
| Date | 1969 to present |
| Venue | Bishwa Ijtema Ground, Tongi, Gazipur, Bangladesh |
| Also known as | Tablighi Ijtema تبلیغی اجتماع Ālmi Ijtema عالمی اجتماع (If organised worldwide) |
| Cause |
|
| Patron(s) | Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlawi |
| Organised by | Tablighi Jamaat and other associated muslim organisations and madrassahs with the help of the Government of Bangladesh |
| Islam in Bangladesh |
|---|
 |
23°53′29″N 90°23′49″E / 23.8914722°N 90.3968637°E The Bishwa Ijtema (Bengali: বিশ্ব ইজতেমা, lit. 'Global congregation') is an annual gathering of Muslims in Tongi, by the banks of the River Turag, in the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Ijtema is considered a demonstration of Muslim unity, solidarity, mutual love and respect and an opportunity to reiterate their commitment to Islamic values.[1] It is the biggest festival by population in Bengali culture, one of the largest peaceful gatherings in the world, and the second-largest Muslim gathering, with 5 million adherents,[2] after the Arba'een Pilgrimage's 15–20 million attendees in Iraq,[3] both surpassing the 2–3 million worshipers who participate in the Hajj, considered to be one of the five pillars of Islam, in Saudi Arabia. Bishwa Ijtema is a modern event where Muslim participation is voluntary.[4][2][5][6][7]
The Ijtema is a prayer meeting spread over three days, during which attending devotees perform daily prayers while listening to scholars reciting and explaining verses from the Quran, the central religious text. Speakers include Islamic scholars from various countries. It culminates in the Akheri Munajat (concluding supplication or final prayer), in which millions of devotees raise their hands and pray to Allah for world peace.[5][8] Al-Quds Al-Arabi compared Ijtema with Kaaba to the poor people of the region.[9]
The Ijtema is non-political, and draws people of all persuasions. It is attended by devotees from 150 countries.[2] The majority of its devotees come from across Bangladesh, the world's third-largest Muslim majority country. Despite being larger than Hajj, the obligatory Muslim pilgrimage, the voluntary Bishwa Ijtema remains largely unknown and underreported in the West. During the Ijtema, free meals and accommodation are provided by volunteers.
- ^ "Viswa Ijtema". Banglapedia.
- ^ a b c Lemos, Eirini (7 January 2016). "What is the festival of Bishwa Ijtema and where is it held?". The Telegraph.
- ^ Cockburn, Patrick (9 November 2017). "Free at last from Isis, millions of Muslims stage the greatest religious march in the world". The Independent.
- ^ "Two million Muslims begin Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca". BBC News. 31 August 2017.
- ^ a b "Muslims attend Bangladesh prayer". BBC News. 5 December 2004.
- ^ "Muslims condemn Paris massacre at Bangladesh's mini-Hajj". The Economic Times. Agence France-Presse. 9 January 2015. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
- ^ "Bangladesh Muslim festival ends". BBC News. 8 January 2001.
- ^ "Akheri Munajat ends seeking world peace". The Daily Star. 10 January 2016.
- ^ হুসাইন, বেলায়েত. "আন্তর্জাতিক মিডিয়ায় বিশ্ব ইজতেমা". Naya Diganta. Retrieved 6 February 2024.