By Kamran Hashim
KARACHI: growing up in a Muslim majority country like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan or any other Muslim country many of us will come across a sign saying ‘waqfa-baraiay-namaz’. this would loosely be translated as ‘break-for-prayer’. This is a very normal sight for many of us and for someone who is not aware of what namaz is? Let me elaborate by saying that namaz is a prayer, which every muslim must perform five times a day.
Before every namaz (prayer) there is a ‘call for prayer’ known as ‘azaan’, this is an Arabic word which translates to ‘call for prayer’. This call for prayer (azaan) is performed by muezzin, who summons the faithful to prayer. Yesterday upon visiting Imtiaz Mega Store at Zamzama, I was surprised to see something very different and very unusual. I witnessed ‘waqfa-baraiay-azaan’, which means ‘break-for-azaan’. This is something that I hadn’t seen at any super-store in the world.
Imtiaz being the pioneer in the retail industry of Pakistan and now biggest retail chain of super-stores in Pakistan has once again done something which can termed as a remarkable feat, as being very refreshing and this also gives a very spiritual / mystical feel all around. When asked around one cashier informed that this practice of ‘waqfa-baraiay-azaan’ is been practiced at all the Imitiaz stores since long.
