Srinagar: A meeting of Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) Jammu & Kashmir was held at Mirwaiz Manzil Rajouri Kadal, Srinagar, after authorities disallowed the meeting to be held at the Anjuman Auqaf headquarters at Jama Masjid Srinagar. The meeting was presided over by the leading Islamic scholar of J&K, Mufti Nazir Ahmad Qasmi, as MMU President Mirwaiz Umar Farooq continues to be under house detention for the past two and a half years since August 5th 2019.
On the occasion, it was proposed to form a sub-committee under the auspices of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema to address some key issues facing the Kashmiri society. The sub-committee will consider all the points of the proposed resolution that was adopted in the meeting as well as stay in contact with the concerned for their implementation.
As per the resolution presented at the meeting, serious concern was expressed over the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s ban on a purely religious and da’wah organisation Tablighi Jamaat; and the government of Saudi Arabia was called upon to reconsider its decision.
The MMU during the meeting expressed strong concern and resentment over the blasphemous content published by a Delhi-based publisher ‘Jay Cee Publications’for the pictorial representation of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) and the Archangel Jibra’eel (PBUH) in the History and Civics books of Class 7th.
The MMU said, “From time to time conspiracies have been hatched against the religion of Islam, the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) and the Holy Qur’an, however from time to time, Islamic scholars and the Muslims have registered their strong protest against it.”
The MMU has asked publishers to consult Muslim scholars on Islamic issues before printing any material. It was also decided that the sub-committee will be in touch with the Director School Education for the same.
Appealing to scholars, imams, preachers and socio religious organisations of all schools of thought, MMU members in the meeting emphasised that the urgent need of the hour is to focus on the fundamental teachings and principles of Islam during their sermons and discourses, for the sake of greater unity among the Muslims and in order to resist the nefarious designs of anti-Islamic forces and discourage partial, partisan and centuries-old differences and conflicts among various sects of Islam . “Those who still continue with such a mindset to promote sectarianism will be exposed in public and held accountable,” the Majlis-e-Ulema warned.
The meeting expressed deep concern and sorrow over the recent scandal of sale and purchase of Covid orphans by some unscrupulous people and strongly condemned it, calling it extremely shameful and inhuman. It observed with regret that running orphanages has become a lucrative business for some and this needs to be stopped.
The MMU has requested the responsible persons of the reputed orphanages in Jammu & Kashmir to take all possible steps for the bright future of the orphans in their respective institutions. In this regard, the MMU has also requested that from time to time, a team of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema will visit the registered orphanages of Jammu and Kashmir, and will give its inputs and suggestions for the better future of the children there.
The meeting underscored that the financial condition of the imams of mosques and madrassas and muezzins is dire, which needs immediate attention. Besides, serious effort is needed to create an understanding among people, and an environment in society that supports talented young people who are proficient in reciting and understanding the Holy Quran and concerned of their social environment, to become imams. “To encourage talented young people to take up this noble profession, it has to be economically attractive for them also so they can support themselves and their families. So, a mechanism has to be put in place to ensure that the salaries of the imams are decent and attractive to them,” the meeting resolved.
The participants in the meeting also strongly protested against the closure of historic Jama Masjid Srinagar, the largest place of worship in J&K and the spiritual centre of the Muslims of the region, by the authorities continuously from August 6, 2021. They made it clear to the administration that such dictatorial measures amount to interference with religious practices which is a violation of fundamental human rights and also severely hurts the sentiments of Muslims.
The meeting expressed strong resentment over the continuous illegal and arbitrary incarceration of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema chief and J&K’s topmost religious leader Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq who continues to be under house arrest since 5 August 2019.
MMU asked the rulers of the state to allow prayers at Jama Masjid on Fridays and ensure the immediate release of the Mirwaiz .
The meeting was attended by the leaders and representatives of religious and social organisations besides well-known NGOs. The Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar, Darul Uloom Raheemiyah Bandipora, Muslim Personal Law Board of Grand Mufti of J&K, Jammu and Kashmir Anjuman Sharia Shiaan, Jamiat Ahle Hadeeth Jammu and Kashmir, Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen Jammu and Kashmir, Anjuman Himaayat-ul-Islam, Dar-ul-Uloom Bilaliya Srinagar, Darul Uloom Sabeel-ul-Huda, Anjuman Ulema Ahnaaf, Bazm-e-Tawheed Ahle Hadeeth Auqaf Trust, Jammu Kashmir Civil Society Forum, J&K Help Foundation, Karwaan Khatam-e-Naboowat Trust, Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat Jammu and Kashmir, Markazi Raabta Aima Masaajid Jammu and Kashmir, Anjuman Nusrat-ul-Islam Srinagar, Anjuman Mazhar-ul-Haq, Dr. Sameer Siddiqui Sajjada Nasheen Khanqah Siddiqiyah Aishmuqam, Dariul Uloom Naqashbandia, darul Uloom Sheeri Baramulla and several other representatives of many other religious, and social organisations of Jammu and Kashmir expressed their opinions and offered various suggestions.

KR Desk