The Mutahida Majlis e Ulema (MMU)- a representative body of religious clerics from the Kashmir valley on Saturday called for an end to “unislamic” activities being propogated in the Kashmir valley.
As per a press release, MMU expressed deep and serious concern over attempts being made to weaken the Muslim identity of this ‘Valley of Saints’ & strongly regrets activities being implemented through schools & educational institutions aimed at furthering the Hindutva agenda in Kashmir.
As per the press release, the members expressed serious resentment against imposing acts in the name of yoga & morning prayers in educational institutions wherein Muslim students are made to chant Bhajans & at times asked to perform Surya Namaskar. “This is against the fundamentals of our religious practices,” the MMU press release read.
The clerics notofied the admin, Education Department and concerned agencies that such activities will not be tolerated by the Muslims in Kashmir as it is a direct “challenge to their religious and Islamic beliefs”.
MMU appealed to the Government and concerned authorities to immediately withdraw its orders and stop these practices in schools and educational institutions, which deeply hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims and cause them grief.
As per the press release, the clerics urged the parents that if their children are forced to participate in un Islamic activities in government schools, they should withdraw their children from these schools and enroll them in private schools.
The clerics asked Muslim teachers to avoid promoting such un-Islamic activities and give preference to their faith and Imaan.
MMU also expressed satisfaction that Friday prayers and Five daily prayers are now being allowed by the authorities at central Jama Masjid Srinagar and people are not being stopped from assembling at the mosques.
As such it appeals to authorities to now release its Patron and Molvi Umar Farooq and end his illegal house arrest since Aug 2019 , in wake of the coming holy month of Rabiul Awwal so that the #Mirwaiz can pursue his religious obligations and duties.
The members raised voice in strong protest against tarnishing the reputation of Islamic centres & Muslim institutions in Jammu and Kashmir by arbitrary arrests of Islamic scholars, preachers and imams and booking them under PSA and sending them to outside Jails.