The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulama (MMU) Jammu & Kashmir and Muslim Personal Law Board convened an extraordinary meeting to discuss the controversial Waqf Amendment Bill 2024.

The gathering, chaired by Grand Mufti Nasir Islam Faruqi, brought together prominent scholars who unanimously rejected the bill, calling for its immediate withdrawal.

The council expressed strong opposition to the government's attempts to legalize the bill, emphasizing that Waqf properties are owned by Allah Almighty and are an integral part of Islamic beliefs. They argued that any governmental interference undermines the fundamental concept of Waqf, making such efforts unacceptable to Muslims.

The MMU has already submitted a detailed letter to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), outlining their concerns and labeling the bill as anti-Muslim. They have offered to present their position directly to the JPC, if necessary.

The meeting also condemned the repeated house arrest of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, calling for his immediate release. The council appealed to Imams and religious scholars to support their resolution during Friday prayers, promoting unity amidst ongoing challenges in Kashmir.

SRINAGAR — The Muttahida Majlise-e-Ulama (MMU) Jammu and Kashmir 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 earnestly 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 own practices, they should absolutely refrain from targeting the beliefs of other sects in their lectures, sermons, addresses or discussions on social media or any other platform, thereby causing conflict.

In a special meeting presided over by the MMU patron Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq and 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 Majlis issued this statement.

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).

The statement condemned recent efforts by certain groups to incite sectarian discord, calling these actions regretful and reprehensible.

The ulemas present stressed that 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 Majlis made it clear that 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 J&K, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulama will confront these elements with full force and hold them accountable in the public domain.

The statement also said that the MMU called upon all members of the Kashmiri Muslim community, civil society, and media to play their part as responsible citizens in maintaining communal cohesion in such times.

On this occasion, a decision was also taken to broaden the forum and further strengthen it by including more religious organisations and leading scholars from all over Jammu and Kashmir in the Majlis in the cause of inter-Muslim unity.

SRINAGAR — Muttahida Majlise-e-Ulama (MMU), which includes all the heads of religious sects and educational institutions of Jammu and Kashmir and led by Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq, on Saturday expressed serious concern over a viral video on social media in which a group of outsiders are openly drinking alcohol on a Shikara in Dal Lake.

In a statement issued to the news agency KNO, MMU strongly condemned this act and the fact that it has been allowed to take place in Kashmir.

While public consumption of alcohol is strictly prohibited under the law, why and how it has been allowed is a matter of worry, the MMU said.

The Majlis-e-Ulama said, "The people of Kashmir are hospitable and respect tourists visiting the Valley as guests. However, such un-Islamic and unethical practices will not be tolerated in the Muslim-majority valley which is the land of saints and Sufis. Consumption of alcohol is strictly prohibited in Islam for its disastrous ill effects and deprivation of society cannot be allowed to go unchecked.”

MMU appealed to hotel owners, houseboat owners and Shikara operators to keep an eye on such wrongdoings and totally stay away from indulging in this un-Islamic and immoral practice for profit. It also appealed to the tourists to respect the moral and religious ethos of Kashmir.

Meanwhile, the Council reiterated its demand for the immediate arrest and appropriate punishment of the student involved in the blasphemy against the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) at GMC Srinagar, despite the police having registered an FIR.

It is noteworthy that the United Council of Scholars of Jammu and Kashmir includes the following organizations: Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid Srinagar, Darul Uloom Raheemiya Bandipora, Mufti Azam's Muslim Personal Law Board, Anjuman Shari Shian, Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith, Karwan-e-Islami, Ittihad-ul-Muslimeen, Anjuman Himayat-ul-Islam, Anjuman Tabligh-ul-Islam and Jamiat Hamdania.

Anjuman Ulema-e-Ahnaf, Darul Uloom Qasmiya, Darul Uloom Bilaliya, Anjuman Nusrat-ul-Islam, Anjuman Mazhar-ul-Haq, Jamiat-ul-Aimma wal Ulema, Anjuman Aimma wa Mashaikh Kashmir, Darul Uloom Naqshbandiya, Darul Uloom Rashidiya, Ahl-e-Bait Foundation, Madrasa Kanz-ul-Uloom, Pirwan-e-Wilayat, Auqaf Islamia Khiram Sirhama, Bazm-e-Tauheed Ahl-e-Hadith Trust and Anjuman Tanzeem-ul-Makatib are also part of the council.

Besides, Muhammadi Yateem Trust, Anjuman Anwar-ul-Islam, Karwan Khatm-e-Nabuwat, Darul Uloom Syed-ul-Mursaleen, Anjuman Ulema wa Aimma Masajid, Falah Darain Trust Welfare Society Islamabad, Ashraf-ul-Uloom Hyderpora, Darul Uloom Dawoodiya Batamaloo, Darul Uloom Farqaniya Nowshera, Darul Uloom Dawoodiya Khanyar, Jamiat-ul-Ulama Kashmir, Siraj-ul-Uloom are also part of the religious organisation.

The scholar council also includes Idara Wahdat-ul-Makatib Jammu and Kashmir, Darul Uloom Imdadiya Natipora, Darul Uloom Jamia-tur-Rashad Awantipora, Khanqah Muradiya Jamia Masjid Kreeri, Darul Uloom Saut-ul-Quran Gulshan Abad Srinagar and other contemporary religious, national, social, and educational organisations.