Srinagar- Religious scholars from both the Shia and Sunni communities in Jammu & Kashmir have called for maintaining peace and sectarian unity following a controversy over offensive remarks made during a Mushaira in Srinagar.
The scholars stressed that such divisive actions go against the teachings of Islam and must be firmly condemned.
The event, held on January 11 in the Kralpora locality of Zadibal, quickly became a flashpoint after videos surfaced on social media showing two participants using hateful language against the companions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The Mushaira was streamed live, and soon clips went viral, sparking outrage among both Shia and Sunni communities. Widespread calls for the arrest of those responsible emerged as social media filled with posts that further intensified tensions.
Late at night, the Srinagar Police tweeted from their official X account, stating, “Srinagar police have taken cognizance of the derogatory sectarian remarks made by certain individuals, who are currently being questioned at the police station. Appropriate legal action will be taken in accordance with the law. Over the past few months, it has been observed that some individuals with malicious intentions have been engaging in sectarian slander on social media, attempting to create division. Legal action, following due process, will be taken against all offenders, and anyone sharing or forwarding such derogatory content against any sect will face strict action under the full force of the law.”
Meanwhile, ulama from both the Shia and Sunni communities came forward to condemn the act.
Grand Mufti Nasirul Islam, Shia clerics Aga Syed Hadi and Maulana Masroor Abbas Ansari were first to denounce the perpetrators.
“These individuals do not represent the Shia community. Nobody, whether Shia or Sunni, has the right to target each other’s revered figures. This goes against the tenets of our faith. Such acts are either carried out by individuals motivated by money or by those seeking cheap fame on social media. The top Shia clergy from both Iraq and Iran have prohibited the use of any offensive language against the Khulafa-e-Rashideen,” Aga Hadi stated.
Nasir-ul-Islam, Grand Mufti of Kashmir, said in his video message, “Using hateful comments against the Khulafa-e-Rashideen is unacceptable and has hurt the sentiments of the people. Some miscreants want to create discord among communities. I condemn this heinous act and urge the authorities to lodge FIRs against these miscreants attempting to divide the community.”
Maulana Masroor Ansari, a prominent Shia cleric, remarked, “In recent days, a few individuals obviously with ulterior motives have attempted to incite sectarianism and spread misleading content on social media, thereby trying to harm our unity. These actions are highly condemnable, and their sole purpose is to weaken our brotherhood. I appeal to all religious scholars, social activists and the general public to maintain unity and brotherhood within their ranks and thwart the evil designs of such miscreants. Be cautious of inflammatory content circulating on social media and verify any rumors before believing them.”
“I firmly denounce the offensive language employed by certain poets towards the sacred beliefs of Ahl-e-Sunnah wal Jamaat. Such unacceptable incidents must not recur. Freedom of expression does not mean violating the sacred beliefs of any community. Comprehensive and decisive measures should be implemented against these individuals by law enforcement agencies,” Dr. Sameer Siddiqui, a noted Sunni scholar from South Kashmir, wrote on his X account.
Aga Syed Mujtaba, well-known Shia leader and deputy of Agha Syed Hassan Al Musawi, also said, “I condemn this act. It has hurt the sentiments of our Sunni brothers. There are some individuals who wish to disturb our unity. We must refrain from such practices and focus only on promoting voices of unity.”
Meanwhile police have arrested the individuals involved in the incident. Srinagar Police tweeted on their official X account, “Six miscreants have been charged under Sections 126 & 170 of the BNSS and have been detained at Central Jail, Srinagar, for inciting sectarian unrest through derogatory remarks.
The public is hereby warned that any individual found engaging in similar unlawful activities, including posting or sharing sectarian content with the intent to create division or disturb public harmony, will meet the same fate. WE ARE WATCHING.”
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
