Srinagar, Sep 15: After a gap of more than two years, the Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) Jammu & Kashmir on Tuesday held a major Ulema meet and Seerat Conference in Srinagar, with more than 70 Ulema and Mashaikh participating in deliberations on pressing social, moral and religious issues.
The one-day conference, held under the chairmanship of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq after authorities granted permission for the gathering, saw participation from religious scholars from different parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Ulema from Kashmir districts, as well as Jammu, Poonch, Rajouri, Kargil and Doda, attended the conference, which emphasised greater coordination and interaction among religious scholars, mosques and madrasas across the region.
The conference adopted two broad resolutions, one focusing on contemporary social challenges and the role of Ulema and religious institutions, while the other stressed unity within the Muslim Ummah, sectarian harmony and mutual respect despite differences of Maslak.
The first resolution expressed concern over drug and substance abuse, suicides and self-harm, mental and emotional distress among youth, irresponsible use of social media, weakening family bonds and the disconnect between young people and religious and community institutions.
The participants stressed that Ulema, Imams, mosques and madrasas could play an important preventive and supportive role in addressing these challenges by creating safe spaces where young people and families can discuss emotional distress, loneliness, anxiety and family pressures without fear of stigma.
The conference called for greater awareness among Imams and Ulema about signs of emotional distress and urged them to encourage families to respond with compassion and guide those in need towards professional counselling and mental-health support.
As part of the proposed outreach, the MMU resolved that designated Friday sermons would focus on a common social issue across participating mosques, enabling Ulema across Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to collectively raise awareness about issues requiring urgent societal attention.
The MMU also decided to endeavour to hold regular, preferably monthly, meetings in different districts and areas, involving local Ulema, Imams, mosques and madrasas to identify local concerns and develop practical responses.
The conference further stressed that mosques and madrasas should increasingly function as centres of guidance, youth engagement, family support and community welfare alongside their religious and educational responsibilities.
On drug addiction, the Ulema called for a consistent approach to tackling substance abuse and expressed concern over the simultaneous expansion and normalisation of alcohol.
The conference said efforts against drug addiction could be undermined if new liquor licences are issued and alcohol availability is expanded in the name of tourism. It called upon the government to reconsider such an approach and stop further promotion and expansion of alcohol availability.
Environmental responsibility also figured prominently in the deliberations. The conference recommended using Friday sermons and mosque-based programmes to create awareness about reducing plastic and polythene use, preventing littering and dumping of waste in water bodies, and protecting wetlands.
The participants expressed concern over the condition and encroachments affecting Dal Lake, Wular Lake, Nigeen Lake, wetlands and other water bodies, stressing that conservation of nature and protection of shared natural resources constituted a moral and religious responsibility.
The second resolution focused on unity within the Muslim Ummah and urged Ulema to maintain mutual respect despite differences in schools of thought and interpretation.
The conference acknowledged that differences of Maslak have historically existed within the Ummah, but stressed that such differences should not become a source of hatred, hostility or division.
The participants emphasised that the mosque’s Mimbar is an Amanah, or sacred trust, and should not be used to promote sectarianism, ridicule another Maslak, spread hatred or deepen divisions.
The conference called upon Ulema from different schools of thought to promote mutual respect, dialogue and brotherhood and to focus religious discourse on shared moral, spiritual and social responsibilities.
It also stressed the need for greater interaction among Ulema from different regions and schools of thought. The proposed district-level meetings are expected to provide a platform for strengthening communication, mutual understanding and cooperation among religious scholars and religious institutions.
The participants said the role of Ulema and religious institutions should extend beyond ritual matters and remain closely connected with people’s everyday concerns, particularly the anxieties and aspirations of the younger generation.
The MMU said the conference was intended to mark the beginning of a sustained process of grassroots engagement rather than end with the adoption of resolutions. The proposed initiatives include coordinated Friday sermons, district-level meetings, counselling and community awareness programmes.
More than 70 Ulema and Mashaikh participated in the event. Among those present were Moulana Rehmat-ullah Mir Qasmi, Mufti Azam Nasir ul Islam Farooqi, Mufti Nazir Ahmad Qasmi, Mufti Mohammad Yaqoob Baba Madani, Moulana Masroor Abbas Ansari, Moulana Showkat Hussain Keng, Mufti Enayat Ullah Jammu, Sheikh Mehboob Ali Wajdani, Mufti Abdul Rashid Miftahi, Pir Rehmatullah Sahib, Moulana Syed Tayyub, Mufti Syed Sharief Ul Haq Bukhari, Mufti Ajaz ul Hassan Banday, Mufti Zia ul Haq Nazmi, Mufti Pirzada Reyaz Ahmad, Moulana Adnan Nadwi, Sibt Mohammad Shabir Qumi, Moulana Ghulam Rasool Noori, Moulana Ali Akbar, Moulana Syed Shah Waris Shah Bukhari and Pir Iftikhar Ahmad Kamli, among others.
