Ulemas, religious scholars concerned over continuous ‘harassment’ of Mirwaiz

Srinagar: All Kashmiri Ulemas and religious scholars from all Islamic schools of thought and Imams and Khateebs of Masjids across the valley expressed serious anguish and concern and deep regret over the continuous harassment of Valley’s deeply respected Mirwaiz e Kashmir and Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema patron Mirwaiz Umar Farooq by the NIA through repeated notices being sent to him.
A joint statement was issued on Saturday issued by Kashmir’s grand Mufti, Nasir-ul-Islam, president Jamiat-e-Ahlihadith Professor Ghulam Muhammad Bhat Al-Madani, Anjuman-e-Share-Shian president Aga Syed Al Mousivi, Al-safavi, Karwan-e-Islami international patron milana Ghulam Rasool Hami, Itihadul-Muslimeen patron Moulana Abbas Ansari, head of Darul Uloom Rahimiya Bandipora Moulana Rehmatullah Mir, president of Anjuman-e-Tableegul Islam Moulana Syed Fareedudin Bukhari, patron of Anjuman-e-Himayatul Islam patron Showkat Hussain Keng and president Moulana Khursheed Ahemd Qanoongo, Jamiat-e-Hamdaniya patron Moulana Reyaz Ahmed Hamadani, Mufti Ab. Rashid of Darul Uloom Bilaliya, Molana Ahmed Sayed of Darul uloom Qasmia, Molana Bashid qasmi of Darul Uloom Sopore patron Jamiat-e-Ulema Moulana Muhamamd Theseen Qasmi, representatives of Jamaat-e-Islami, Anjuman-e-Auqaf Jamia Masjid Khateeb Moulana Syed Ahmed Naqashbandi, Muslim Personal Law Board, patron Darul Iftaa wa Qaza Shariat-e-Islami Bijbehara Mufti Ziyaul Haq Nazimi, Khateeb and Imam of Dastgeer Sahab (RA) Moulana Nazir Ahmed Qadiri,Anjuman-e-Ulema-e-Ahnaf president Moulana Akhzar Hussain , General Secretary of Mohsin-e-Alam International Bashir Ahmed Kanth, Mufti sheik ul hades Mufti zaffar Hussain Sopore, Ghulam Rasool Samoon of Anjuman-e-Nusratul Islam and others
The statement said that Mirwaiz who represents the three hundred year old institute of the Mirwaizeen a highly respected and revered institute by the people with which they have a deep religious emotional attachment was being subject to such harassment which pains us all .
Terming the effort to intimidate the Mirwaiz and associate him with some matter that he remotely has no concern with they said that only adds fuel to the already deteriorating situation in the valley.
The statement said that Mirwaiz, is the social, religious and spiritual leader of Kashmiri people, and associating him with such activities to defame his personal character is highly deplorable. It also said that people of Kashmir are indebted to the Mirwaiz family as Mirwaizeen have tirelessly worked for the education social and religious upliftment of the people of Valleys since past many decades.
The statement said that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been taking forward the great and sacred mission of his ancestors and issuing notices to him again and again is unacceptable. It said that despite Mirwaiz repeatedly saying that he was willing to cooperate in Srinagar yet he is again and again being called to New Delhi to pressurise him. They asked the authorities to immediately stop the harassment and Intimidation of the Mirwaiz as people and Ulema are deeply disturbed by it.
The statement also termed the frequent sealing of historic Jamia Masjid on Fridays as unacceptable interference in religious affairs of Muslims of valley and a move that calls for strongest condemnation. They said that Jamia Masjid is the epicentre of the religious and cultural moorings of the people of valley which is being frequently closed down for worshipers preventing them from exercising their religious rights.
They said that the pulpit of Jamia Masjid has preached the message of Islam as the religion of peace and has always reflected the truth about the condition of people.
Sadly repressive measures are being taken to silence this sacred pulpit promoting the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in its true and pristine form.