Friday curbs won’t end challenges facing community: Mirwaiz at sermon

Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday said locking him at home “will not resolve the challenges we face.”

Addressing the people at Jama Masjid Srinagar after a gap of four weeks, Mirwaiz said, “As I stand before you on this sacred pulpit of Jama Masjid, it is a moment of sadness, as the uncertainty surrounding my presence here continues to weigh heavily upon me and upon all of us as a community.”

“It is very disturbing that every Friday, we are left wondering whether I will be allowed to fulfil my responsibilities as the Mirwaiz of Kashmir,” he said.

“This uncertainty is not just about me—it affects our entire community, which looks to this pulpit for guidance on matters of faith and on issues and challenges facing them,” he added.

Mirwaiz told authorities that they must understand the concept of Friday prayers at Jama Masjid is not merely about the physical act of offering prayers. He said when he speaks about the shortcomings in governance or highlights the grievances of the people, it is not to provoke or create problems. “Just like I call upon people to improve as humans, I also see it as my duty to urge the authorities to reflect and address the issues,” he said.

Noting that the government must understand that silencing voices or locking him up at home will not resolve the challenges, Mirwaiz added, “Instead, it is through dialogue and a willingness to accommodate diverse views that we can move forward as a society.”