Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema Jammu and Kashmir today delivered its first coordinated Friday sermon across participating mosques and Imambargahs in the Kashmir Valley, Jammu, the Chenab Valley, Kargil and Leh. Imaan, or faith, was chosen as the first common theme of the initiative, which aims to strengthen religious awareness and address pressing concerns in the community.
The initiative follows decisions taken at the MMU Ulema Conference on September 15, where prominent scholars and representatives of various schools of thought agreed to address important religious and social issues collectively through designated Friday sermons, district-level engagements and sustained community awareness and action plans.
Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq delivered the sermon at the historic Khanqah of Hazrat Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani (RA), Alamdar-e-Kashmir, at Charar-e-Sharief. He stressed the importance of safeguarding Imaan and remaining steadfast in faith and principles in the face of worldly temptations, pressures and challenges. Faith, he said, is not merely a verbal declaration but the foundation of a believer’s whole life, reflected in character, conduct, decisions and dealings with others.
Referring to the Quranic injunction to believe in Allah, His Messenger and the divine light revealed in the Holy Quran, he said these form the essential foundations of faith. Belief in Allah creates accountability, following the Prophet provides moral and practical guidance, and the Quran illuminates the path of truth and righteousness. He called faith the most precious trust given to a believer and said no wealth, position or worldly favour can justify compromising it. “A believer may live in this world and pursue its legitimate opportunities, but must never make worldly interests the price of his faith,” he said.
Emphasising Istiqamat, or steadfastness, the Mirwaiz said that professing faith is only the beginning and that remaining firm through changing circumstances is its real test. Steadfastness, he said, does not mean rigidity or confrontation but upholding truth and principles with wisdom, patience, dignity and moral courage.
Expressing concern over challenges facing younger generations, including materialism, misuse of social media and moral confusion, he urged parents, teachers, Ulema and religious institutions to make the protection and nurturing of faith a collective priority. He said Imaan was chosen as the first theme because it is the bond that unites the Muslim Ummah beyond differences of Maslak. He also said the pulpit is an Amanah that should be used to guide society and bring people closer, not to promote division.
Paying tribute to Hazrat Sheikh-ul-Alam (RA), he said the saint conveyed the message of Tawheed, Imaan and moral responsibility to Kashmir in its own language, and that the best tribute is to live by his teachings and pass them on to future generations. He concluded by urging people to strengthen their relationship with Allah, the Holy Quran and the teachings of the Prophet.
