Muslim leaders warn Kashmiris against sectarianism

Srinagar, India, Oct 4, IRNA - Mutahida Majlis Amal, an amalgam of various religious parties, vowed Tuesday to fight “conspiracies” aimed at creating divisions among the ranks of Muslims and fuelling sectarian strife over trivial issues. The appeal followed similar pleas by two key Kashmiri leaders JKLF Chairman Yasin Malik and Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Geelani. In a joint statement issued here, the Muslim conglomerate— representing organizations such as Jamat-e-Islami, Jamiat-e- Ahle Hadees, Anjuman Shari Shiayan , Anjuman Nusrat-ul-Islam , Itihadul-Muslimeen and Jamiat-e Hamdania besides others – said that Kashmiris had remained and would remain united on the basic tenets of Islam and “righteous Ulema and intellectuals would defeat the heinous designs of elements trying to fan sectarian discord for their petty interests.” “Unity is our strength and division our death and destruction. Unfortunately, some so-called Ulema and local channels are at the forefront of promoting sectarian divisions. This is completely unacceptable to Kashmiris,” the statement said. “Nobody would be allowed to divide people on sectarian lines in this land of saints and seers like Hazrat Syed Sharafudin Bulbul, Hazrat Ameer-e- Kabeer Mir Syed Ali Hamadani, Alamdar-e- Kashmir Sheykh Noorudin Wali, Hazrat Sultan-ul Aarifieen, Sheikh Hamza Makhdoomi ,” added the statement. The body has urged people to stay alert against “the heinous conspiracies of narrow-minded, biased and ill-informed ulema, muftis, and self-styled intellectuals.” Earlier Syed Ali Shah Geelani urged people to nip sectarian strife in the bud, the chairman of the Hurriyat (G), Syed Ali Shah Geelani, said that an “army of purchased molvis” had been raised to fuel discord in Kashmir. Geelani alluded to imperialist forces targeting Islam, and said that India had opened a “new front” in the valley after failing to crush the Kashmiri freedom struggle. “We must not allow sectarian and doctrinal differences to spark off conflict and confrontation,” Geelani said adding, “We must rally around our core beliefs, and strengthen unity and amity among ourselves.” “An army of purchasable molvis has been recruited to go from village to village and town to town, using sugar-coated words to sow the seeds of sectarian and doctrinal discord which can later blow up into confrontation where Muslims will be at each other’s throats,” he said. Appealing Ulema to refrain from polemical debates over “trivial sectarian issues,” Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Mohammad Yasin Malik, warned that the “disdainful trend” would only beget hatred and severe divisions among the ranks of Muslims. Malik said during the past several years, Ulema, including slain Jamiat Ahle-Hadees president Maulana Showkat Ahmad Shah, had made timely interventions to prevent such discussions. “But, now there are reports, from Srinagar’s Palapora Noorbagh area to far flung Banihal , about some Ulema again indulging in this disdainful, polemic debating. They should remember that confusing the nation in such trivial issues can have dangerous consequences and fan passions beyond control.” “Muslims believe in one God, one Quran , one Prophet (SAW), and there is consensus on the basic tenets of Islam, namely the Kalma, Namaz, Roza, Zakat and Haj. Then who and why is dividing us? Isn’t the misery of Muslims across the globe before our eyes? Are there no lessons to be learnt from Muslim regions torn apart by sectarian strife?” Malik said. “We should remember the last sermon of our Prophet (SAW) and lead our lives on the principles of unity, equality and brotherhood ,” Malik said.