Urges immediate withdrawal of order, says it’s against Islamic beliefs
SRINAGAR: Senior religious leaders of Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) — the amalgam of all Muslim religious organizations of Jammu and Kashmir, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, its patron, Mufti Nasirul Islam, Rahmatullah (names), and others — have expressed serious concern over the recent directive issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Government’s Department of Culture.
The directive instructs schools across the region to commemorate the 150th year of Vande Mataram through organized musical and cultural programs, ensuring the participation of all students and staff, the MMU said in a statement issued here.
“Singing or reciting Vande Mataram is un-Islamic, as it contains expressions of devotion that contradict the fundamental Islamic belief in the absolute Oneness of Allah (Tawheed). Islam does not permit any act that involves worship or reverence directed to anyone or anything other than the Creator,” the statement said.
While Muslims are urged to deeply love and serve their homeland, that devotion should be expressed through service, compassion, and contribution to society — not through acts conflicting with faith, the Majlis said, adding that forcing Muslim students or institutions to participate in activities that conflict with their faith is both unjust and unacceptable.
MMU feels that this directive appears to be a “deliberate attempt to impose a Hindutva-driven ideology” on a Muslim-majority region under the guise of cultural celebration, rather than promoting genuine unity and respect for diversity.
“It has caused a lot of anguish among the Muslims of the region, who are reaching out to religious leadership to take this issue seriously,” the statement said.
MMU has urged the administration, led by the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister, to immediately withdraw this coercive directive, which is a cause of anguish to all Muslims, and to ensure that no students or institutions are compelled to act against their religious beliefs. “If the administration failed to withdraw, the MMU will have to convene a meeting of all religious leadership across the state to deliberate on how to tackle this serious issue,” the Majlis said.