“The minbar of a mosque elevates hearts with guidance, but never ever divides them with grievances. Sacred spaces demand noble speech; embrace scholarly wisdom”.
Dr. Firdous A Reshi
The minbar of a Mosque is a sacred place. It is meant for guidance, education, remembrance of Almighty Allah and the betterment of society. The words spoken from it therefore carry great responsibility. In Kashmir, Mosques and religious gatherings have always played an important role in guiding people and strengthening moral values. However, today we need to seriously think about the way religious disagreements are sometimes presented before the public. Difference of opinion is not wrong in Islam. Muslim scholars have differed on many issues throughout history, but disagreement should never become a reason for insulting, mocking, humiliating or speaking badly about one another. The Qur’an clearly says, “The believers are but brothers, so make peace between your brothers” (Qur’an 49:10). It also warns believers not to ridicule one another, insult one another or use offensive names (Qur’an 49:11), and strongly prohibits suspicion and backbiting (Qur’an 49:12). These teachings are especially important for those who speak from the minbar or address large religious gatherings. If a sermon that should bring people closer to Almighty Allah instead creates hatred between Muslims, we need to ask ourselves whether we have forgotten the real purpose of the minbar. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) taught us to be very careful with our words. He said that whoever believes in Almighty Allah and the Last Day should “speak good or remain silent” (Sahih Muslim). This teaching should be remembered by every person, but especially by those whose words influence hundreds or thousands of people. In today’s age of social media, a harsh statement made during a sermon or religious programme can quickly reach thousands of people and create anger, division and misunderstanding. Kashmir have a long tradition of religious learning and spiritual life. Our people need religious leaders who teach the Qur’an and Sunnah, guide young people, strengthen families, promote kindness and help society solve its problems. They do not need religious discussions to become competitions about who has more followers, greater popularity or louder support. The Qur’an instructs us to call people towards Almighty Allah with “wisdom and good instruction” and to discuss matters in the best manner (Qur’an 16:125). This means that even when we correct someone, we should maintain respect and good manners. Correcting a mistake is different from insulting a person. Disagreeing with an opinion is different from attacking someone’s character. When religious personalities publicly fight with each other, their followers may also become divided into different groups.
“The minbar is a sacred trust meant to unite Kashmir’s society, guide character, and address moral challenges through compassion, education, and true Islamic values. Religious leaders must handle disagreements with respect and humility, avoiding personal ego or division, while remaining mindful of their ultimate accountability before Allah rather than seeking public approval.”
A disagreement between two speakers can gradually become hatred between their followers, communities or institutions. The Prophet (SAW) taught that a Muslim is the brother of another Muslim and should not wrong, abandon or despise him (Sahih Muslim). Religious leadership should therefore bring people together rather than create divisions. The real respect for a scholar should not be based on the number of followers, social media popularity or the ability to defeat another person in debate. It should be based on knowledge, honesty, humility, wisdom and good character. A scholar should teach people to follow Almighty Allah, not personalities. The minbar should never become a place for personal anger or ego. It is a trust and a responsibility. At a time when society in Kashmir faces many social and moral challenges, our religious platforms should focus on unity, education, peace, family values, compassion and the proper understanding of Islam. Our scholars can disagree, but they should disagree with respect. They can correct each other without humiliation and debate without hatred. The message of Islam is not to create camps around personalities but to bring hearts closer to Almighty Allah. The minbar should raise our character, not lower the standard of our speech. It should unite hearts, spread knowledge and guide society. Every person who speaks from this sacred platform should remember that the applause of people will eventually disappear, but every word spoken before them will remain part of our accountability before Almighty Allah.
