Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Jul 22: The Muttahida Majlise-e-Ulama (MMU), a conglomerate of religious leaders in Jammu & Kashmir led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Monday reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining sectarian harmony and unity in the region.
According to the news agency Kashmir News Observer, a meeting attended by the leaders of major religious organisations was held on Monday at the Nigeen residence of Mirwaiz, where a collective resolve was expressed to counter any attempts to disrupt the sectarian harmony. The religious leaders called for preserving the historic unity and harmony among different sects in Kashmir.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chief of MMU, reiterated the group’s dedication to ensuring that sectarian disputes do not undermine the unity of the Kashmiri people. “Our primary focus is on maintaining unity and traditional sectarian harmony,” he said while addressing media persons. “We will strive to represent every sect and uphold a unified stance.”
The meeting also addressed concerns about the misuse of social media, with Mirwaiz urging caution and responsible use to prevent exacerbating sectarian tensions. “Any issues that arise will be addressed through emergency meetings and collaborative efforts,” he said.
“We cannot tolerate any actions or statements that lead to discord within our community,” Mirwaiz said. “We have resolved that no future divisive statements will be permitted. Should any such statements emerge, we will collectively take action and make sure the perpetrators are held accountable.”
The MMU has also called for upholding the importance of Islamic principles in promoting unity among different sects.
“All sects, whether Shia, Sunni, Ahle-Hadeeth or Barelvi must stand united on the foundation of Islamic principles,” Mirwaiz Umar said.
Meanwhile, the MMU in a press release issued to KNO expressed its “firm resolve to disallow any attempts to spread sectarian discord in Kashmir and harm to the region’s traditional sectarian harmony”.
The Majlis has appealed to scholars, masjid imams and those active on social media, belonging to various schools of thought and sects that while each is free to follow its practices they should refrain from targeting the beliefs of other sects in third lectures sermons, addresses or discussions on social media or any other platform, thereby causing conflict.
The meeting presided over by the MMU patron Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was attended by Maulana Rahmatullah Mir al-Qasimi, Agha Syed Hassan al-Moosvi al-Safawi, Grand Mufti of Kashmir Mufti Nasir ul-Islam Farooqi, Maulana Masroor Abbas Ansari, Dr Abdul Latif al-Kindi, Maulana Ghulam Rasool Hami, Agha Syed Mohammad Hadi al-Moosvi, and Maulana Shaukat Hussain Keng and M S Rehman Shams, the statement said.
The meeting emphasised that the issues and challenges faced by the Muslim community at various levels can only be overcome by uniting under the banner of Tawheed (monotheism). It condemned recent efforts by certain groups to incite sectarian discord, calling these actions regretful and reprehensible.
The scholars present at the meeting vowed, “The religious personalities of Islam should be respected by all and since all Muslims share the common religion and its goals, it is detrimental to the entire Ummah when minor differences are made into contentious matters by some to advance narrow sectarian objectives at the expense of the broader interests of the Muslim community in Kashmir.”
The MMU said it will not tolerate provocations, sectarian discord or the denigration of each other’s beliefs. “As a responsible and robust forum of the Muslims of Jammu & Kashmir, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulama will confront these elements with full force and hold them accountable in the public domain,” it asserted—(KNO)
