Sunni, Shia scholars call for sectarian harmony

Mirwaiz asks people to use social media judiciously

Srinagar July 22: Sunni and Shia scholars convened an emergency meeting at the residence of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Monday to promote sectarian harmony and peace in Srinagar.
The development took place after a recent controversy surrounding a mourning ritual performed by some Shia community members during Muharram inside the Khanqah of Mir Syed Ali Hamadani.

The meeting, which lasted several hours, included prominent religious leaders from both Sunni and Shia sects. Following their discussions, the leaders held a joint press conference to emphasize the need for unity and peace within the community.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq highlighted the importance of preserving Kashmir’s unique identity, which is rooted in unity, sectarian harmony, and brotherhood. He urged the people of Jammu and Kashmir to reject any attempts to sow discord and divisions. “The people of Kashmir cannot afford such divisions and need to show restraint and patience. We should not issue any statement against any sect,” he stated.
The scholars expressed their concern and condemnation over recent inflammatory remarks made by some preachers and speakers. “Such remarks and actions cannot be tolerated. We should not allow those who want to create a division. People should not post anything on social media which hurts anybody’s religious sentiments,” Mirwaiz added.
The consensus from the meeting was clear, all religious leaders are committed to working for unity and will not tolerate statements that could hurt religious sentiments, regardless of differences.
The leaders also emphasized the need for amicable resolution of any issues that arise. “Whenever there is a need, we will call such meetings and resolve all issues,” Mirwaiz assured.
In a related development, Abdul Rashid Dawoodi clarified his position regarding a news report in a local newspaper. The report had claimed that the Mutahida Ulama e Ahle Sunnat, allegedly led by Dawoodi, had called for the cleaning of the Khanqah-e-Moula. Dawoodi refuted these claims, stating, “I want to make it clear that I am not the head of Mutahida Ulama e Ahle Sunnat and am only a part of it. Besides, we rebut the news item that Mutahida Ulama e Ahle Sunnat has called for the cleaning of the Khanqah-e-Moula. We don’t know who issued this statement. We stand for unity and peace.”
The meeting and the subsequent statements by the scholars underscore a collective commitment to maintaining Kashmir’s tradition of harmony and resolving any disputes through dialogue and mutual respect.