Srinagar: Chairman Jammu & Kashmir People’s Democratic Front (JKPDF) and former Minister Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen has called for revocation of ban , imposed by Muslim Waqf Board , on offerings made by devotees to small time Mujavirs and peer Baba’s at various muslim shrines across Jammu and Kashmir. He said tradition of Nazar- w- Niyaz and offerings to local Mutwalis and Mujavirs at shrines was centuries old glorious chapter of the Reshi cult and Sufism adding that the equilibrium of traditional Reshi ecosystem should not be disturbed un- necessarily.
In a statement issued on Tuesday Hakeem said that the tradition of offerings made by devotees to Mujavirs at shrines was a voluntary act associated to their faith and satisfaction adding that Wakf Board should immediately revoke it’s controversial decision to ban the practice . He said the Mujavirs at various shrines are acting as guides for devotees besides maintaining decorum and cleanliness there.
” Instead of axing the Mujavirs and Mutwalis on offerings made by devotees, Waqf Board should work on increasing revenue by properly harnessing all other sources of income,and curtailing it’s wasteful expenditures, ” Hakeem said adding that one of the most significant drains on the revenue of the Wakf Board is the vast recruitment made by the board at various times on the instruction of men in power . He said another significant source is rent from the immobile property for the Wakf which has been fixed many years before and never revised . He said Waqf Board should raise funds to create infrastructure on the Wakf’s vacant lands.
J&K PDF Chairman said that nowhere any Mujavirs has ever stopped any devotee , visiting any shrines , from offering Nazar- w- Niaz in the saving of boxes of Waqf Board . He said offerings by devotees to Mujavirs at shrines was purely voluntary adding that there was no element of coercion in this tradition.” On the contrary, there was a menace of begging by both local and non local beggars, roaming everywhere in and around various shrines, that needs to be checked and even ostracised. He said by making meager offerings to Mujavirs ,we mean to show our respect to the Auliya Karim adding that presence of Pir Sahbinan at shrines should not be disturbed in any case. ” ” We should be cautious ! Are we not creating one more religious controversy un-necessarily , which has marred the whole country on various counts be it Hijab Ban , meat ban ,Azan ban and so on ,” Hakeem added.
