LUDHIANA: A gurdwara at Dhandari Kalan opened its gates to host the third-day memorial service for a local Muslim lawyer on Wednesday, drawing people from across religious communities.Demonstrating inter-faith brotherhood, the Sikh shrine hosted Quranic recitations along with Ardas for advocate Shafia, who died on Saturday of a respiratory illness, leaving behind her husband, Iqram Ali, and three daughters.She was buried on Monday at a graveyard near Dhandari Kalan after her family waited for her brother-in-law, Akram Ali, to arrive from Derby, England. Lacking a local mosque or facility large enough to host the Tehja (third-day) prayers, the family approached the management committee of Wadda Gurdwara Sahib.Iqram Ali said: “We are grateful to the gurdwara committee for the great gesture. It is a big gesture on the part of the Sikh community as they help us always.”The ceremony began with Fateh Khawani (Quranic recitations) on the gurdwara lawns, followed by an Ardas (Sikh prayer) for the departed soul inside the main hall. Nearly 800 villagers from the Sikh, Hindu, and Muslim communities attended.Gurprit Singh Guri Chahal, president of the gurdwara committee, described Iqram Ali as a close friend .”As there was no mosque or other arrangement for holding such prayers, and the family was unable to arrange a location at such short notice, they spoke to us,” Chahal said, adding that the event reflected the village’s tradition of religious harmony.While the family provided food for the langar (community kitchen), members of the gurdwara committee – including Sukhdev Singh, Mohan Singh, Albel Singh, Gurjit Singh, Malkit Singh, and Gurnam Singh- joined in serving the meal.Shahi Imam of Punjab, Maulana Usman Ludhianvi, who attended the service, praised the initiative .”It is a big step in promoting communal harmony and brotherhood, which Punjab is known for,” Ludhianvi said.
