Srinagar, July 15: Prominent Shia religious leaders have rejected the statement made by Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam during a press conference on Tuesday, calling it unilateral and lacking consensus.
In a joint rebuttal, Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi, Agha Syed Muhammad Hadi Al-Moosvi, and Maulana Masroor Abbas Ansari criticized the Grand Mufti for deviating from the collective stance agreed upon during a meeting of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) held at Mirwaiz Manzil, Nigeen.
The Shia clerics stated that the Grand Mufti, being in a responsible religious position, should have adhered to the joint resolution passed at the council meeting — a resolution that was later released as an official statement. According to them, the Mufti’s recent remarks were not only lacking in mutual agreement but also risked sowing discord and unrest within the broader Muslim community.
“We neither endorse nor accept this one-sided and fabricated statement. Rather, we strongly reject it,” the statement by the Shia scholars read. They reaffirmed their commitment to the shared stance on respecting religious sanctities, including those of both Shia and Sunni traditions, the Ahl al-Bayt, and the esteemed companions of the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh).
The leaders emphasized that during the earlier council meeting, it was unanimously agreed that while theological and jurisprudential diversity exists within the Muslim Ummah, such differences should never lead to division or disrespect. They cited edicts from top Shia religious authorities, including Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei and Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Sistani, who have explicitly prohibited any derogatory speech against Sunni sacred figures, especially the Rightly Guided Caliphs.
They also expressed concern over the Grand Mufti’s alleged endorsement of a historically controversial figure, stating they do not support such claims. The scholars concluded by underlining the importance of centuries-old inter-sect harmony in Kashmir, stating that promoting mutual respect and unity remains a shared religious and moral duty.
“Any attempt to harm this unity will be firmly resisted,” the statement affirmed.
