Onlykashmir.in News Desk
After nearly two weeks of house detention, Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq on Friday returned to the historic Jama Masjid Srinagar, where he addressed the Friday congregation.
Addressing the faithful, the Mirwaiz expressed concern over repeated restrictions on his religious and public activities, saying such measures hurt people, cause inconvenience and amount to unwarranted interference in discharging his religious obligations. He said the pulpit of the Jama Masjid has always stood for upholding faith and speaking the truth that reflects the concerns and rights of people, a responsibility he cannot abandon.
He regretted that the restrictions forced the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulama (MMU) to postpone its first district-level Ulema meeting, scheduled for November 4 in Bandipora. The scholars were to deliberate on ways to take forward the MMU’s September initiative on social and religious challenges, including drug abuse, social evils, youth suicide and environmental concerns. He said such collective initiatives for social reform should be encouraged rather than obstructed.
The Mirwaiz also welcomed the Kashmir Waza Association’s recent decision to regulate wedding feast timings, particularly its decision to end late-night Wazwan dinners by 10 pm. He called it a positive step towards discipline and simplicity in marriage celebrations, while respecting the dignity and hard work of the Waza community. He assured the Association of the MMU’s full support for such constructive efforts.
While the Waza decision is a step in the right direction, he said, much more needs to be done about growing extravagance, unnecessary additions to wedding customs, excessive expenditure and competitive displays of wealth that have placed heavy financial and social burdens on families. He urged society to preserve the beauty of its traditions while doing away with wasteful practices, making marriages simpler, dignified and affordable in accordance with Islamic teachings.
His return to the pulpit ends a period of restrictions that began after his address at the Jama Masjid on October 30, when he referred to the International Crisis Group’s report on Jammu and Kashmir. In that time, he missed two Friday sermons, the MMU’s Bandipora meeting was postponed, and the Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid demanded his release, saying that visitors were also not being allowed to meet him. No official statement on the lifting of the restrictions was available in the information provided.
The sermon combined concern over his own situation with an appeal on social reform, a theme that has been central to the MMU’s recent activities.
