KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Bernama) — A special ‘Selawat and Munajat’ programme with the Prime Minister which will be organised this Saturday, is expected to gather up to 20,000 Muslims.

The programme’s director, Azizi Ab Hamid, said it would be held at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium, Cheras, beginning with congregational Maghrib prayers led by the imam of the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque, followed by a ‘selawat’ (salutations to the Prophet Muhammad) and ‘qasidah’ (Arabic poem) recital by Syabab EI-Mustofawiyah who emerged champions of the qasidah festival last year.

“Among the figures who will be present to deliver a talk and ‘tausiyah’ (religious advice) that night is Habib Ali Zaenal Abidin Abu Bakar, a well-known scholar in our country,” he told Bernama today.

The programme, he said, would also feature international al-Quran recitation champion Amirahman Abbas and Sheikh Razak al-Masri.

Azizi said the programme was a continuation of the ceremony held previously at the Prime Minister’s official residence.

“From there, I got the idea to bring this knowledge conference outside, so that the Prime Minister can be with the people of Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding areas,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s political secretary Azman Abidin said the main sponsors of the programme are the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council and several other agencies such as Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia.

“So far, apart from the Prime Minister, the two deputy prime ministers and several other ministers, among those who will be present at the programme are Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali and KL Mayor Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah,” he said.

He said invitations would also be extended to the embassies of Saudi Arabia and Palestine.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency